Tourism Competitiveness of Rural Areas: Evidence from a Region in Poland

The aim of the article is to present the analysis of tourism competitiveness of the rural areas of the Eastern Poland microregion (Podlaskie, Warminsko-mazurskie, Lubelskie, swietokrzyskie, Podkarpackie provinces). To group the rural communes in terms of tourism competitiveness, a cluster analysis with Ward's method was applied. To do so, the data provided by the Central Statistical Office (Warsaw) in Poland of 2019 were used. The analyses provided in the article confirm the dependence between the size of the areas of outstanding natural beauty and the region's tourism competitiveness. The results can be applied by the representatives of various institutions and organizations supporting the development of tourism in those areas.