DETERMINANTS AND DIRECTIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN COMMUNES FROM THE EASTERN PART OF WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE PROVINCE

An increased significance of tourism in economy and a growing competition in this area between local government units imply the need for information that would make it possible to identify and assess development opportunities of particular communes. The aim of the research was to assess tourist attractiveness of rural and rural-municipal communes of the eastern part of Warmińsko-mazurskie Province and to identify factors determining their development. Secondary data and information collected by means of a survey were used in the research and analysed statistically. In order to assess tourist attractiveness, synthetic analysis was made with the use of 11 variables. The results made it possible, inter alia, to select three groups of communes with different levels of tourist attractiveness, to define their spatial distribution and to determine the significance of the factors in the development of this economic sector.