Visit Zakopane uses affiliate links. Here's exactly what that means, who we partner with, and why it doesn't influence what we recommend.
When a website includes an affiliate link, and you click it and then complete a purchase, the website earns a small commission from the seller. You pay the same price you would have paid anyway — sometimes less, because affiliate partners occasionally offer member discounts. The commission comes from the seller's margin, not from you.
Affiliate marketing is a common way for independent travel guides to cover their operating costs while keeping content free for readers. It aligns incentives correctly when done honestly: we earn more when we recommend things that people actually book and enjoy.
Who We Partner With
Booking.com — We use the Booking.com affiliate program for hotel, guesthouse, and apartment recommendations throughout the site. When you click a "Book on Booking.com" link and complete a reservation, we earn a commission (typically 4–6% of the booking value, paid by the property). You pay the same rate shown on Booking.com directly.
GetYourGuide — We use the GetYourGuide affiliate program for guided tours, day trips, and activity bookings. When you click a GetYourGuide link and purchase a tour, we earn a commission. You pay the same rate as booking on GetYourGuide directly.
That's the full list. For the initial launch we're deliberately limiting affiliate relationships to these two programmes. If we add others, this page is updated before any new links go live.
How Affiliate Links Work Technically
When you click an affiliate link on this Site, a cookie is placed in your browser. This cookie tells the affiliate platform (Booking.com, GetYourGuide, etc.) that you came from Visit Zakopane. If you complete a booking within the cookie window (typically 30 days for Booking.com; varies by partner), we earn the commission.
If you clear your cookies, use a private browser window, or book through a different device, the affiliate tracking may not work — in which case we earn nothing. That's fine. We'd rather you make the right booking than navigate the cookie situation for our benefit.
Does This Affect What We Recommend?
No. And here's why that's credible rather than just a statement:
The incentive structure works both ways. If we recommend a bad hotel that you book through our affiliate link, you have a bad trip, you write a bad review somewhere, and you never trust this site again. The value of this site is that readers trust it. Compromising that trust for a one-time commission payment would be economically irrational, not just ethically wrong.
We say negative things. Scroll through our restaurant guides and you'll find places we tell you to avoid. We describe tourist traps by name. We tell you when something is overpriced or overrated. A site that earns affiliate commissions purely on volume would never do this — it would cost them recommendations. We do it because it's what makes this guide useful.
Affiliate partners don't see our content before publication. Booking.com and GetYourGuide do not have any review, approval, or influence over what we write. They provide a tracking mechanism; we write what we write.
How Sponsorships Differ from Affiliates
This site also has paid sponsorships from local Zakopane businesses. Sponsorships and affiliates are different things:
- How we're paid — Affiliate: commission on bookings; Sponsorship: monthly flat fee
- What they buy — Affiliate: tracking link; Sponsorship: placement and content depth
- Effect on editorial — Affiliate: none; Sponsorship: placement, not content honesty
- Disclosed? — Affiliate: yes (affiliate link labels); Sponsorship: yes (Sponsored label)
- Can they change what we write? — Affiliate: no; Sponsorship: no
Full details on how sponsorships work: Partnerships.
Where Affiliate Links Appear
Affiliate links are used in:
- Hotel and accommodation listings and recommendations
- Activity, tour, and guided experience recommendations
- Itinerary pages (where specific booking links appear alongside day-by-day plans)
Affiliate links are not used in:
- Emergency contact information
- Trail safety guides
- Any content where commercial incentives would be inappropriate
Legal Compliance
This disclosure is provided in compliance with:
- FTC (US Federal Trade Commission) guidelines on endorsements and testimonials
- EU Directive on unfair commercial practices
- Polish advertising law requirements
- GDPR cookie disclosure requirements (for affiliate tracking cookies)
Questions?
If you have questions about how affiliate relationships work on this site, or if you've spotted a link that should be disclosed but isn't, please contact: hello@visit.zakopane.pl
*Affiliate relationships disclosed on this page were accurate as of 11 May 2026. We will update this page if new affiliate partnerships are added.*