EN
The aim of the study was to present the changes in the number of lodgings in the years 1993–2013, trends related to forms of promotion used by rural tourism service providers, as well as information sources preferred by tourists resting in the countryside in the years 1997–2013. Additionally, the research covers the information and promotion methods used by service providers to meet the needs and expectations of customers. The data comes from empirical studies conducted both by the author and other authors from different academic centres in Poland, secondary data from the expert opinions provided by different institutions, and literature. The analysis shows that the forms of promotion used by the service providers were not fully adapted to the needs and expectations of tourists, both in 2003 and in 2012. Ten years ago, the most important source of information about holiday stay on a farm were the recommendations of relatives and friends, not promotional literature mostly used by service providers. Nowadays, the most important source of information about recreation in the countryside for surveyed tourists was the Internet, while the service providers’ great attention was given to the positive views expressed by satisfi ed guests resting in objects of rural tourism.