Kraków achieved an impressive score of 8.3 out of 10. The award confirms the city’s long-term commitment to responsible tourism management, protecting cultural heritage, improving residents’ quality of life, and developing tourism sustainably in line with local community needs. Auditors particularly praised Kraków’s strategic approach to tourism management and the implementation of the city’s guiding document, the “Kraków Sustainable Tourism Policy 2021-2028”, adopted by the Kraków City Council in 2021.
What is Green Destinations?
Green Destinations is an international assessment and certification programme for tourism destinations based on globally recognised sustainability standards. The standard covers six key areas:
– Destination management
– Nature and landscape protection
– Environment and climate
– Culture and heritage
– Social well-being
– Business engagement and communication
The programme enables an independent evaluation of actions taken by cities and regions while identifying opportunities to further improve tourism policies. Destinations that receive recognition join an international network to exchange experiences and best practices in sustainable tourism.
International recognition of Kraków’s efforts
The distinction was awarded following a months-long assessment process during which the Tourism Department submitted documentation covering more than 100 criteria and indicators related to sustainable tourism development. These included environmental, social, economic and cultural aspects, as well as destination management practices and long-term tourism planning.
The recognition granted by the Green Destinations Foundation confirms Kraków’s strong performance in areas critical to sustainable tourism, including responsible governance, protection of cultural and natural heritage, waste management and climate action. It also acknowledges the city’s efforts to maintain Kraków’s long-term attractiveness as a tourism destination.
Importantly, the Green Destinations system evaluates not only visible outcomes but also the strategies, policies and governance mechanisms that integrate sustainability principles. As a result, the award validates not only achieved results but also the quality of the processes underpinning tourism development in Kraków.
Kraków received its highest score for stakeholder engagement and communication. Auditors highlighted the transparency of the city’s actions, accessibility of information, stakeholder involvement, and well-developed cooperation structures between the municipality, residents, social organisations and the tourism industry.
The city’s tourism management system also received high praise, including the work of specialised tourism policy units within the Kraków City Office, as well as initiatives supporting public dialogue and nighttime economy management.
The audit emphasises that Green Destinations recognition provides an independent international endorsement of the quality of actions undertaken by the city and its local partners.
This recognition is not only a success for Kraków but also an important signal to other cities and the tourism industry in Poland. It demonstrates that tourism growth can go hand in hand with care for residents, the natural environment and cultural heritage, while aligning with the highest international standards of responsible destination management.
Importantly, this achievement does not mark the end of the journey. Rather, it represents another step towards attaining a higher level of certification. The auditors’ recommendations provide clear directions for future actions that will enable Kraków to further strengthen the balance between tourism development and the well-being of residents, cultural heritage, and the natural environment.
Learn more about the Krakow Convention Bureau here.
