Cross-cultural adaptation and migrant integration through rural tourism: The role of NGO collaboration in a culturally immersive initiative in Poland

Abstract

This study examines a culturally immersive integration tour for migrants through the lens of cross-cultural adaptation theory (CCAT). The initiative, as a collaboration among three non-tourism NGOs, was conducted in April 2025 in Czarny Las, a village located on the outskirts of Warsaw, Poland. It featured a series of culturally engaging activities, including traditional refreshments, a guided forest walk, a communal village-style lunch, a local folklore choir performance, and participatory community activities. The qualitative methodology included participant observation, a semi-structured interview with the organiser’s representative, and asynchronous written interviews with the tour guide, the choir leader, and voluntary migrant participants. Findings reveal that the initiative relied primarily on informal trust-based collaboration, shared social values, and the flexible mobilisation of limited local resources, rather than on formal institutional arrangements. The tour created low-threshold opportunities for intercultural interaction through nature-based and folklore activities, which participants perceived positively in terms of social bonding and cultural learning. At the same time, the study identified practical and ethical challenges, including language mediation, role ambiguity, and oversights regarding dietary and religious sensitivities. Ultimately, the paper contributes to the growing literature on NGO collaboration, migrant integration, and community-based rural tourism.