Daria Gosek-Popiołek Pushes for a Ban on New Hotels in Kazimierz

Kraków mayoral candidate Daria Gosek-Popiołek announced a push for a local zoning plan to ban new hotels in Kazimierz and protect residents and local businesses from overtourism.

Preserving Kazimierz as a Residential and Commercial District

Kazimierz should remain a vibrant residential and commercial district rather than gradually turning into a space subordinated to tourism, according to Daria Gosek-Popiołek. The Kraków mayoral candidate announced actions to protect residents and local businesses while restricting the construction of new hotels in Kazimierz.

On Monday, August 24, 2026, Daria Gosek-Popiołek held a press conference at a location that became a symbol of the dispute over the future of Kazimierz several months ago. A hotel investment is planned in the tenement houses at Józefa 9 and 11 as well as Bożego Ciała 24. These buildings still function as residential and commercial spaces, housing tenants alongside independent shops, galleries, cafes, and local venues on the ground floors.

Petition Addressed to Rival Candidates

Planned renovations of three tenement houses into a five-star hotel have sparked protests from residents and business owners, with nearly 30,000 people signing a petition in defense of the location. Following the protests, then-Kraków mayor Aleksander Miszalski announced work on a targeted local spatial development plan to prevent the hotel project, while the voivodeship conservator of monuments approved the investment.

Daria Gosek-Popiołek announced she would forward the resident-signed petition to her opponents Łukasz Gibała, Monika Piątkowska, and Michał Drewnicki, expecting clear declarations on whether they intend to uphold the city’s prior commitment. She emphasized that residents have a right to know before the election what each candidate plans to do to halt overtourism and protect Kazimierz.

Banning New Hotels Without Harming Existing Operations

The mayoral candidate pledged to prepare a local spatial development plan that excludes new hotels in Kazimierz while protecting the district’s residential and commercial functions. The proposal does not involve closing currently operating hotels or revoking acquired rights from property owners, allowing buildings to still be renovated and used for housing and services.

Gosek-Popiołek argued that overtourism happens address by address as apartments, shops, cafes, and galleries disappear over time. She stressed the need to stop this process and prioritize housing, local services, and meeting places over additional overnight accommodations.

Maintaining an Authentic Kazimierz

The candidate noted that her proposed actions are not aimed at tourists or the tourism industry itself, acknowledging tourism as an important part of Kraków’s economy. However, she warned against development that causes the loss of what makes Kazimierz attractive in the first place.

Gosek-Popiołek concluded that good tourism cannot destroy the authenticity that draws people to the city, stating that turning Kazimierz into a hotel monoculture would harm residents, local businesses, and tourism itself.