Dominik Borek

The existing methods of out-of-court settlement of consumer disputes in Poland, namely mediation, conciliation, and arbitration, were presented and briefly discussed in the article. The basic differences between these methods were indicated, as well as the formal and legal requirements related to the use of each method. The role of the trade inspectorate as an “entity authorized” to conduct ADR proceedings is explained, and the benefits of using amicable dispute resolution with consumers arising from the performance of a contract for participation in a package travel are indicated. The material contains information current as of January 1, 2026. The material cannot be construed as the position of anybody or institution; it represents the authors’ individual positions. The authors attempted to consider both legal acts and literature, which is very sparse in the field of tourism. The methods used in the work are dogmatic-exegartic, which required analysis of the existing literature and focusing on legal acts that were analyzed and described.

Objectives: The main objective of the article is to identify the factors shaping hotel employees' choice of a good workplace (SDG 8) in the context of Sustainability. Material and methods: The study involved six hotels located in Warsaw, Krakow, Wroclaw, and Opole (Poland), encompassing a total of 193 employees. Quantitative research was conducted using the diagnostic survey method and a questionnaire technique, with a random-time sampling approach. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics such as absolute frequency of respondents (n), respondent proportions (p ̂_1), response proportions (p ̂_2), and 95% confidence intervals for p ̂_1 (95% CI). Additionally, Cochran’s Q and Dunn tests with Bonferroni correction for simple comparisons were performed. Results: Only 1.6% of hotel employees identified personal ecological beliefs as a factor in their workplace selection. For hotels, efforts should focus on providing employees with adequate professional development opportunities and increasing the importance of environmental considerations in the workplace selection process. Conclusions: The analysis of the study results allows the following answers to the research questions posed in the introduction: 1. The most important factors influencing workplace selection among the surveyed hotel employees were salary level, workplace atmosphere, and opportunities for professional development. 2. Workplace selection factors were not limited to economic considerations but also included social aspects. Environmental factors were cited very rarely. 3. Among the surveyed hotel employees, correlations were observed between workplace selection factors and socio-economic status elements such as gender, education level, and place of residence.

The article presents the results of a study devoted to the issue of implementing in tourism the obligation of to inform travellers about the possibility of using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods in cases where the dispute arises from non-performance or improper performance of a contract for participation in a package travel. This obligation was introduced by Article 42(4)(5) of the Act of November 24, 2017, on package travel and linked travel arrangements. This provision obliges tour operators to provide travellers with whom they conclude package travel contracts with information on the possibility of using alternative dispute resolution methods. Observation of the package travel market shows that despite the long-standing validity of this provision, knowledge about the possibility of using ADR is not widespread. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to obtain a general picture of the functioning of ADR in tourism and to disseminate information about it, thereby improving the awareness of tour operators and consumers regarding the possibilities of using ADR methods of consumer dispute resolution in Poland.

The ongoing development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, particularly of generative systems operating autonomously, presents significant challenges to the existing copyright law framework–both in terms of legal interpretation and the effectiveness of its application. This study undertakes an analysis of issues related to the legal classification and the scope of protection of works created with the use of AI tools. The considerations focus on fundamental matters such as the attribution of authorship in the context of AI-assisted or AI-generated creative output, the legal status of entities involved in the creative process, and the boundaries of protection afforded under the copyright regime. The authors highlight the need to revise current regulations and propose potential directions for their modification in order to adapt the normative system to the challenges posed by the growing role of generative technologies in the creative sector.

In the article, the authors discuss the admissibility of conducting class action proceedings in the event of the insolvency of a travel and tour operator and/or of a business facilitating the purchase of linked travel services. In particular, consideration must be given to identifying the entity against whom such a claim may be brought. Secondly, the effectiveness of such a solution and its admissibility in the context of current statutory solutions should be analyzed. The article also includes de lege lata and de lege ferenda considerations.

The Act of 7 November 2025 amending the Act on Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements introduced a fundamental change that allows a tour operator to fulfil the requirement of a minimum guarantee amount by concluding several guarantee agreements. Comments submitted during the legislative procedure included, among others, proposals regarding the method of designating the primary guarantor. This issue was clarified by indicating that the entity responsible for receiving notifications from travellers is the one specified in the guarantee agreement. On this basis, the template of the guarantee agreement will have to be amended in accordance with the statutory delegation.The regulations in question are administrative in nature, as they concern the fulfilment of requirements for conducting business activity as a tour operator. This article discusses the consequences of the introduced changes from the perspective of public administration bodies, which will be obliged to adopt a new approach in this regard. It should also be emphasised that the existing legal regulations for both insurance and banking sectors remain unchanged: merely the possibility of a new method of contracting by splitting the guarantee is introduced, which may serve as an alternative to the previously existing single guarantee.

Background and Study Aim. Water-based tourism has become one of the most dynamically developing sectors of the tourism industry, which has increased the importance of ensuring tourist safety in aquatic environments. Beyond individual behavior and rescue capacity, water safety increasingly constitutes a matter of public governance requiring coordinated legal, administrative, and informational measures. The aim of this study was to analyze the public-law and administrative mechanisms for promoting water safety in the tourism sector at the level of government tourism administration, as well as to systematize best practices of information, educational, and organizational measures implemented by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland, with particular attention to the “Safe Water” campaign and their potential applicability in an international context. Material and Methods. The study was based on the analysis of normative legal acts, governmental policy documents, parliamentary materials, and publicly available information related to water safety and tourism administration in Poland. Qualitative research methods were applied, including dogmatic-legal analysis, descriptive document analysis, and comparative policy analysis, enabling the identification of key governance instruments and administrative competencies in water safety promotion. Results. The results indicate that water safety promotion in Polish tourism policy is based on a multi-level governance model combining statutory regulations with soft governance instruments, such as nationwide information campaigns, inter-institutional cooperation, and public funding mechanisms. Information and education initiatives, including the “Safe Water” and “Risk-free tourism” campaigns, complement legal regulation by translating safety requirements into accessible guidance for tourists and stakeholders. Conclusions. Water safety promotion at the tourism administration level should be understood as an integral component of public governance rather than a supplementary activity. The Polish experience demonstrates that the combination of legal regulation, coordinated information campaigns, and institutional cooperation can form a comprehensive and adaptable model of water safety promotion. The solutions analyzed in this study may support the development of preventive water safety strategies in other national tourism systems.

Objectives: This article discusses the administrative and legal activities of the minister responsible for tourism in the field of experimental methods of studying tourist traffic. These methods include the use of many data sources, the so-called “big data”. The discussion will cover cooperation with South Korea and domestic entities - including Statistics Poland and the National Bank of Poland. Material and methods: The research methods used in the article are the comparative method, which requires a comparison of Polish and South Korean regulations. Additionally, the dogmatic-exegetical method was used, which requires familiarization with the existing literature. The article aims to show good patterns in experimental methods of studying tourist traffic and encourage readers to learn about modern technologies in this area planned for use in Poland. Results: This article was written as part of the activities of the steering committee of the project "Advanced AI tools and algorithms based on public data supporting economic development in the field of tourism," co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development under the Strategic Research and Development Program "Advanced information, telecommunications and mechatronic technologies" – INFOSTRATEG VIII. Conclusions: All the effects described above will be of assistance not only for entrepreneurs but also for central government and local government tourism administrations. The knowledge on real tourist traffic will e.g. make it possible to counteract the phenomenon of the grey zone in tourism that results from conducting non-registered business activity. The broad use of the experimental methods for tourist traffic tracking, discussed in this paper, shows how important this reception area is.

This article touches on the sphere of using autonomous cars in tourism and the administrative and legal analysis of this area of research interests. The analysis covered the legal and social conditions of using modern technologies in the automotive industry. In the administrative and legal layer, the place of autonomous cars in tourism was analyzed, including their place in building travel packages. The authors attempted an administrative and legal analysis using in this area adequate methods of researching this area of legal sciences, including the dogmatic-exegetical method and linguistic analysis. The considerations included de lege lata and de lege ferenda conclusions. The work takes into account the legal status as of February 15, 2025.

The chapter covers the legal aspects of remote work and the changes that have occurred in this area since the COVID-19 pandemic. The key issue will be to analyse legal regulations in Poland and the European Union. There will also be reference to regulations from outside the EU, in particular the USA and the UK. The research methods that will be used in the chapter are primarily comparative, historical-legal, and dogmatic-exegetical methods, which will require studying the existing literature on the subject. The main purpose is to show the legal aspects, and the significance of service in the field of workation was also analysed. The author puts forward the thesis that within the public service (army, civil service, parliament, presidency, jurisdiction).