Kamila Ziółkowska-Weiss

The main objective of the article is to present geographical factors conditioning the activity and tourist destinations among Chicago’s Polonia. The following aspects were emphasized among these factors: location (climate, weather, exotics of the place), accessibility of transport, travel time, tourist attractions (unspoilt nature, quiet, peace), place of  residence of the respondents. The objective of research was to check whether the place of residence influences the frequency of tourist trips and the choice of tourist destinations of Chicago’s Polonia as well. The method of diagnostic survey in the form of surveys among Chicago’s Polonia in the total number of 1014 in the Polish and English language is presented in the article. The study includes results of the research which confirm that people living outside the city of Chicago (in the suburbs) travel more frequently than people living in Chicago. The relaxation of people living outside Chicago lasts longer during the year than the relaxation of people living in Chicago as well as people living outside Chicago choose foreign journeys more frequently than people who live in Chicago.

The quality of life is commonly referred to as a determinant of well-being, contentment, happiness or a sense of satisfaction with one’s own existence. Often used interchangeably with the level, conditions or standard of living. Quality of life is the satisfaction of meeting all human needs. The main aim of this research is to determine the level and quality of life in terms of tourism by the Polish community living in the Greater Toronto Area, which includes the city of Toronto and four regions: Halton, Peel, York and Durham.The article will present its own model of objective factors (standard of living) and subjective factors (life quality) interacting with each other with a particular emphasis on geographic and tourism aspects. The main aim of this article is to show how the Polish community living in the Greater Toronto Area assesses the aspects related to tourism management in the city. The results of the study will be presented on the basis of a survey questionnaire conducted on 583 respondents. The respondents assessed, among other things, whether they were satisfied with the conditions of rest and relaxation in this city, public transport and the environmental quality. Respondents were also asked to evaluate the activity of Polish travel agencies operating in the Greater Toronto Area. The study will also address matters related to improving the quality of life and tourism development in the city. As indicated by the respondents, such activities as supporting existing tourist activities, expansion of bicycle paths or increasing sports and recreational infrastructure (i.e. construction projects of swimming pools, tennis courts) are the main needs in the city, which could contribute to the higher rated aspects of Toronto related to tourism. Data will be presented showing that in the Polish community in the last twelve months their household had enough income to cover the costs related to leisure, vacations, holidays or school breaks.

Americans with Polish roots constitute one of the largest ethnic groups, both in the city itself as well as in the Larger Chicago Metropolitan Area (just aft er Mexicans). When trying to answer the question of how many Americans of Polish origin live in Chicago or surrounding areas, the same answers are generally never found twice. The reason for such disproportions is that there is no particular criterion who can or should be included in the Polish ethnic group and not all people take part in the general population census as well. The objective of the article is to present the spatial distribution of the Polonia in the Larger Chicago Metropolitan Area in the following years: 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 as well as to analyse the phenomenon of the spreading of the Polonia beyond the boundaries of the city to other counties. The concentration of Poles living in specific districts of the city of Chicago in the years 1980 and 2010 as well as the discussion of the phenomenon of migration of the Polonia from Inner-city districts to richer ones located further from the centre are also the subject of analysis.