Methodological challenges of regional research on tourist traffic. A proposal for a systemic solution for the Podkarpackie Province

Research on tourist traffic is a major methodological challenge because a potential respondent is on the move and difficult to capture. There is a need to identify both tourists and one-day visitors. It is important to know motives for their arrival, forms of their stay, assessments of individual components of the tourist offer or consumer loyalty. In 2020, the Podkarpackie Province resumed the idea of regional research on tourist traffic. The aim of this article is to present the methodology of cyclical research of tourist traffic in the Podkarpackie Province. It uses the experience gained during the pilot studies conducted in 2020. The methodology and measurement tool contribute to the standardisation of tourism research in Poland at the provincial level. The proposed solutions activate and integrate various environments into the development of tourism in the region. They allow observation of changes in the structure of tourist traffic and evolution of tourists’ opinions and expectations. On the other hand, they are flexible in order to respond to changes in tourism. The solutions suggested in the methodology are to provide comprehensive and unique data which will facilitate an effective tourism policy at the regional level and can be used by businesses in the tourist industry