ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF THE COMMUNE

An innovative approach to shaping the spa product of Szczawnica means in practice the necessity to develop and introduce new or significantly changed products, services and processes to the tourist market. The specificity of the demand in tourism requires that not only tourism enterprises (service providers) but also reception areas, i.e. tourist destinations. Therefore, it means the necessity to increase the activity of the local government authorities of Szczawnica and partners participating in the development processes of the health resort and the entire commune. There is no doubt that a competitive tourist region is an area characterized, on the one hand, by a specific set of features (values) significantly shaping its competitive ability, and on the other hand, implementing (with the participation of all partners, i.e. both base operators and local authorities) the strategy innovation.

Therefore, it should be stated that the competitiveness of Szczawnica is determined by natural conditions and historically shaped resources, as well as activities undertaken by tourist and spa enterprises as well as local and regional self-government, aimed at gaining an advantage on the tourist and spa market on a supra-regional scale at least. Therefore, one of the important goals of the Szczawnica strategy should be building an internal network of connections and cooperation of the local government with tourist and spa enterprises, the final effect of which will be the introduction of a modern, innovative and competitive in European dimension a tourist and spa product built on the principles of sustainable development. The broadly understood cooperation of all actors of local development in Szczawnica (and therefore both the local government and tourist and spa enterprises) should lead to the implementation of a number of innovative solutions in Szczawnica, including with:

• improvement of the standard of facilities and devices in tourist and spa infrastructure, promotion of new investments that will be in line with the idea of sustainable development, as well as training for entrepreneurs and employees of the spa sector, which will improve the efficiency and quality of services offered;
• combining existing products with new solutions, as well as creating local market alliances and jointly conducting marketing activities;
• penetration of new technologies and solutions into tourist and spa enterprises (especially in the field of pro-environmental activities), as well as the introduction of new management methods, which will contribute to favorable changes in the employment structure;
• consistent development of the tourist profile of Szczawnica in connection with the traditional profile (spa treatment), with the use of new methods of gaining the market and constant expansion of the fields of cooperation (also with foreign sickness funds);
• implementing innovative principles of spatial planning and organizing design principles in these areas, thus creating demand for new products, attractions, events and any changes in the existing infrastructure.