Winter Swimming and the Possibilities of Tourism Development in Poland

Winter swimming boasts a rich history in northern countries and has recently sparked a growing interest in Poland. Previous research on winter swimming focuses mainly on this activity's positive and negative impact on the human body, while little research is focused on tourist aspects. Therefore, the aim of the chapter is to determine the effect of winter swimming on the possibilities of tourism development in Poland. The research was conducted in December 2020 and January 2021. The study involved 411 respondents from Poland who were practicing winter swimming and bathing. The research tool was a survey questionnaire prepared using Google Forms. The questions concerned the total time spent engaging in this sports activity, the frequency and length of bathing, and tourist activities related to this sports activity. Questions about respondents’ characteristics were also included. The research shows that practicing winter swimming favors traveling to practice it. Moreover, most respondents indicated that they use the visited place's tourist attractions and accommodation services during their trips.