Nautical Tourism of Polish Sailors in the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: This article aims to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nautical tourism of Polish sailors. The main focus was on decisions regarding tourist cruises to be carried out in 2020. Design/Methodology/Approach: For this article, a survey was conducted among Polish sailors using the CAWI technique. The survey forms were distributed by Facebook and posted on sailing forums and sailing association profiles - 85 completed questionnaires were collected. Mathematical and statistical methods were used to elaborate the results. The article also makes use of participant observation and analysis of legal acts. Findings: The conducted research allowed to establish that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the decisions of Polish sailors regarding nautical tourism in 2020. The risk of contracting COVID-19 and the restrictions introduced for that reason affected both the duration and routes of cruises. There was no significant influence on the selection of the crew. Great independence from the accommodation and catering facilities, resulting from the structure and equipment of the units, as well as other features of nautical tourism that allow for the modification of tourist trips, in most cases allowed for the implementation of planned cruises. Practical Implications: The results of the presented research may be of interest to entities managing the development of tourism, as they show that thanks to its specific features, nautical tourism can be practised even in the situation of applicable restrictions and it happens without endangering the life and health of its participants. Originality/value: The results of the analysis fill the research gap in the discussed issue, as nautical tourism is rarely the subject of scientific research. To the author's knowledge, there are no articles on COVID-19 pandemic related to this form of tourism so far