Hosting sporting events – good for economies?

Polish Olympic Committee president Andrzeja Kraśnicki announces details of Poland's bid to host 2022 Winter Olympics in Krakow: photo - PAP/Stanisław Rozpędzik

The economic benefits of hosting mega sport events, like the Olympics or the World Cup, are usually overestimated by politicians and local governments that need to justify their bids for them.

Economists are unanimous, however, that several local industries benefit from hosting such events, among them tourism and particularly hotels, retailers, supermarkets and transportation.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors came to this country after Poland has successfully co-hosted the European Football Championships in 2012 and now the Polish Tourist Organisation wants to repeat the PR success taking advantage of another big sport event that Poland will be hosting this year - Men's World Volleyball Championships taking place in six host cities from August 30 to September 21.

Fabian Krause talked to Elzbieta Wąsowicz-Zaborek, deputy president of the Polish Tourist Organisation to find out more behind the decision to combine sport and tourism.