State tourism policies in Switzerland and selected good practices for polish tourism

Purpose. The aim of this paper is to analyze growing importance of the state in the implementation of strategic solutions to stimulate holistic development in the tourism sector in Switzerland. Method. The research method is a qualitative analysis of source documents and data coming from the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) as well as from the Swiss Tourist Federation, the Ministry of Sport and Tourism in the Republic of Poland, and the Polish Tourism Organization. Moreover, the comparative analysis of the websites from 49 Swiss and 16 regional and 50 local Polish tourism organizations was conducted. Findings. The paper presents the actual study of tourism policy implemented in Switzerland within the last 19 years. Moreover comparative analyses of strategic solutions implemented in Swiss and Polish tourism reveal important differences regarding the role of public-private partnership in tourism management and as well in the commercialization of tourism products. Research and conclusions limitations. Qualitative analyses refer exclusively to the comparison between Swiss and Polish tourism policy and the role of Swiss and Polish tourism organizations in the destination management. Practical implications. Swiss strategic solutions presented in the paper may constitute a solid benchmark for decision makers and governmental authorities dealing with support for the tourism development in Poland. Originality. The innovative solutions implemented in Swiss tourism are usually neglected in various analyses and comparative reports published in Poland