Tourist traffic in Sopot in 2025. More and more guests in Sopot off-season.
In 2025, Sopot once again confirmed its strong position as one of the most popular destinantions in Poland. The latest analysis of tourist traffic, based on data from the Central Statistical Office and data from the VISA payment card operator, shows that more and more guests come to the city, stay longer and spend more money in Sopot. Also out-of-season.
The Sopot Tourism Organization and the City of Sopot analyzed transaction data of the VISA payment card operator, obtained through cooperation with the world leader in digital payments. They allow us to better understand tourist traffic, including: by more precisely determining the number of people visiting Sopot, their places of origin, and the amount of expenses. Access to such information enables better conduct of strategic activities and dedicated promotional campaigns. Data allows you to measure the impact of tourism in specific locations, facilitates budget planning and the organization of year-round events. So far, such analyzes have been based mainly on statistics from the Central Statistical Office and data obtained directly from accommodation facilities.
Data from the Central Statistical Office show that although the number of tourists in 2025 remained at a similar level to the previous year (only a slight decrease of 0.67% was recorded), the number of overnight stays increased by 3.1%. This means that visitors spent more time in Sopot than before. Compared to 2023, the trend is even more visible - there were as many as 7.78% more overnight stays. This is a signal that Sopot is increasingly becoming a destination for longer stays, not just short weekend trips.
In the case of domestic tourists - as is clear from the data obtained from the VISA card operator - residents of Gdańsk, Warsaw and Gdynia spend the most in Sopot. In 2025, the inhabitants of Wrocław also joined them. However, the highest dynamics of expenditure growth was recorded in connection with tourist visits of Białystok residents. Total spending by domestic tourists increased by 8.84% year-on-year.
Most foreign guests come to Sopot from Germany. However, it is tourists from Norway who leave the most money in our city. The British, Americans and Swedes are also at the forefront. Importantly, in the years 2023-2025, the payment activity of foreign tourists systematically increased. One of the most interesting conclusions is the dynamic increase in spending outside the summer season. In 2025, foreign tourists spent 13.26% more in Sopot than a year earlier and as much as 24.71% more than in 2023. A similar trend can be seen among domestic tourists, their expenses in the "low" season increased by 5.14% year to year, and compared to 2023 by as much as 38.83%. This is a clear signal that Sopot successfully overcomes seasonality and, thanks to its offer, attracts guests also in autumn, winter and early spring.
– In 2024, we launched the "We'll see you in Sopot" campaign, in which we show the city in its off-season version, full of opportunities for active, peaceful and sustainable recreation. Data analysis confirms that the campaign had a real impact on the perception of Sopot and encouraged more people to visit our city, not only in summer. This is exactly the effect we wanted to achieve, says Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, mayor of Sopot.
Data analysis also confirms the huge impact of sports and cultural events on local business. In 2025, the Volleyball Nations League at ERGO ARENA increased the revenues of the broadly understood tourism industry by over 11%, the CSIO International Show Jumping Competition by 7.33%, and the July horse races by nearly 4%. July 19, 2025 turned out to be a record day, when during the Nations League at ERGO ARENA, the revenues of local companies increased by as much as 31.48%.
The results of the analysis clearly show that Sopot is developing into a year-round destination. Guests stay longer, spend more and are more and more willing to visit the city outside the summer season. Sports and cultural events turn out to be an extremely effective tool for stimulating the local economy. The combination of statistical data with transactional information allowed for the first time to precisely capture the actual scale of tourist traffic. This is a solid basis for further planning of the city's promotion, development of the year-round offer and making strategic decisions in the field of tourism.
- This year's analysis of tourist traffic not only gives us a more complete picture of how Sopot is developing, but above all allows us to better plan promotional activities for the coming years. Thanks to the fact that we were able to supplement the statistical data with data from VISA transactions, we can more precisely assess which markets are growing, which events attract the most guests and in which periods the city benefits the most. This is important knowledge for local entrepreneurs because it helps them better prepare their offer and adapt it to seasonality and the real needs of visitors. Sopot is developing as a year-round destination, and these data will help us use this potential wisely, says Bartłomiej Barski, president of the Sopot Tourist Organization.
The Sopot Tourism Organization and the City of Sopot analyzed transaction data of the VISA payment card operator, obtained through cooperation with the world leader in digital payments. They allow us to better understand tourist traffic, including: by more precisely determining the number of people visiting Sopot, their places of origin, and the amount of expenses. Access to such information enables better conduct of strategic activities and dedicated promotional campaigns. Data allows you to measure the impact of tourism in specific locations, facilitates budget planning and the organization of year-round events. So far, such analyzes have been based mainly on statistics from the Central Statistical Office and data obtained directly from accommodation facilities.
Data from the Central Statistical Office show that although the number of tourists in 2025 remained at a similar level to the previous year (only a slight decrease of 0.67% was recorded), the number of overnight stays increased by 3.1%. This means that visitors spent more time in Sopot than before. Compared to 2023, the trend is even more visible - there were as many as 7.78% more overnight stays. This is a signal that Sopot is increasingly becoming a destination for longer stays, not just short weekend trips.
In the case of domestic tourists - as is clear from the data obtained from the VISA card operator - residents of Gdańsk, Warsaw and Gdynia spend the most in Sopot. In 2025, the inhabitants of Wrocław also joined them. However, the highest dynamics of expenditure growth was recorded in connection with tourist visits of Białystok residents. Total spending by domestic tourists increased by 8.84% year-on-year.
Most foreign guests come to Sopot from Germany. However, it is tourists from Norway who leave the most money in our city. The British, Americans and Swedes are also at the forefront. Importantly, in the years 2023-2025, the payment activity of foreign tourists systematically increased. One of the most interesting conclusions is the dynamic increase in spending outside the summer season. In 2025, foreign tourists spent 13.26% more in Sopot than a year earlier and as much as 24.71% more than in 2023. A similar trend can be seen among domestic tourists, their expenses in the "low" season increased by 5.14% year to year, and compared to 2023 by as much as 38.83%. This is a clear signal that Sopot successfully overcomes seasonality and, thanks to its offer, attracts guests also in autumn, winter and early spring.
– In 2024, we launched the "We'll see you in Sopot" campaign, in which we show the city in its off-season version, full of opportunities for active, peaceful and sustainable recreation. Data analysis confirms that the campaign had a real impact on the perception of Sopot and encouraged more people to visit our city, not only in summer. This is exactly the effect we wanted to achieve, says Magdalena Czarzyńska-Jachim, mayor of Sopot.
Data analysis also confirms the huge impact of sports and cultural events on local business. In 2025, the Volleyball Nations League at ERGO ARENA increased the revenues of the broadly understood tourism industry by over 11%, the CSIO International Show Jumping Competition by 7.33%, and the July horse races by nearly 4%. July 19, 2025 turned out to be a record day, when during the Nations League at ERGO ARENA, the revenues of local companies increased by as much as 31.48%.
The results of the analysis clearly show that Sopot is developing into a year-round destination. Guests stay longer, spend more and are more and more willing to visit the city outside the summer season. Sports and cultural events turn out to be an extremely effective tool for stimulating the local economy. The combination of statistical data with transactional information allowed for the first time to precisely capture the actual scale of tourist traffic. This is a solid basis for further planning of the city's promotion, development of the year-round offer and making strategic decisions in the field of tourism.
- This year's analysis of tourist traffic not only gives us a more complete picture of how Sopot is developing, but above all allows us to better plan promotional activities for the coming years. Thanks to the fact that we were able to supplement the statistical data with data from VISA transactions, we can more precisely assess which markets are growing, which events attract the most guests and in which periods the city benefits the most. This is important knowledge for local entrepreneurs because it helps them better prepare their offer and adapt it to seasonality and the real needs of visitors. Sopot is developing as a year-round destination, and these data will help us use this potential wisely, says Bartłomiej Barski, president of the Sopot Tourist Organization.
The study of tourist traffic in Sopot was possible thanks to co-financing of the public task "Preparation and development of a methodology for examining the impact of tourism on the development of the economy of the Polish Tourist Brand Sopot" from the funds of the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, in accordance with the contract No. 2025/0057/2265/UDOT/DT/BP/IC of June 13, 2025.