Tatra National Park officials are concerned with the fast-growing number of tourists in the area, which some warn is reaching unsustainable levels.
According to the latest count, carried out on 6-8 August, around 33, 000 people enter the mountain trails in the Tatras every day. Almost one third of the number hit the incredibly crowded road to the Morskie Oko Lake, one of the most picturesque spots in the area.
Five years ago, the daily average was 27, 000.
The director of the Tatra National Park Paweł Skawiński told Polish Radio, Krakow, that the number of holidaymakers in the Tatras is a cause for concern in view of the damage of the local flora but dispelled fears relating to the negative impact on the Tatra fauna, saying that the size of the tourist traffic has no bearing on the population of bears, wolves and lynx, provided the tourists keep to the designated trails.
It is estimated that up to half a million people are currently spending their holiday in the Zakopane region, a record number in many years. (mk/pg)