On 17.07.2020, the Act of 19 June 2020 on the Polish Tourist Voucher was signed by the President.
The main assumption of the act is to stimulate Polish tourism industry, after the COVID-19 pandemic through financial support for Polish families.
In accordance with the Act, the Polish Tourist Voucher (hereinafter: the "Voucher") is granted to families with at least one child and to families with disabled children. The amount of the financial support shall be PLN 500 per one child and PLN 1000 per one disabled child. However, there is an exception, namely, following the court's decision, a child is under the alternate care of both parents who are divorced, live in separation or live separately in comparable and repeated periods, then each parent is entitled to one Voucher in the amount of PLN 250 per child, and in the case of a disabled child – one Voucher in the amount of PLN 500 per child.
The Voucher is intended to make payments for hotel services or tourist events performed by a tourist entrepreneur or a public benefit organization on the territory of the Republic of Poland for the benefit of a child/children to whom the benefit was granted. This will also enable financing the child's participation in a summer camp - scouting, sports and recreation. It can also be a part of a trip organized in Poland.
Moreover, it is worth to mention that in the event of not using the amount on the Voucher in one transaction, it is possible to make multiple payments until the amount of the benefit is used. The Voucher is available in electronic form and cannot be exchanged for cash. The Voucher is of electronic nature and is delivered via text message to a phone number of a person entitled to receive the benefit or via e-mail. The value of the Voucher is not subject to enforcement and is not included in the income giving entitlement to any benefits and allowances under separate regulations.
Registration in the IT system operated by the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) will be required for tourist entrepreneurs (or public benefit organizations) in order to accept payments made with the Voucher. Then such a tourist entrepreneur will be entered into the tourist database kept by the Polish Tourist Organization.
In addition, persons entitled to receive the Voucher will also have to register on the ZUS PUE Electronic Services Platform, where the Voucher will be activated after confirmation of correctness and validity of the data.
The right to make payments with the Voucher shall expire on 31.03.2021.
Should you have any questions or doubts, please contact or lawyer Mateusz Pergałowski (mateusz.pergalowski@bsjp.pl).