EN
In the article development's directions of rural tourism and the role of national authorities in activating tourism in rural areas were presented in connection with Poland's developmental plans. The analysis' results indicate that activities in the field of rural tourism, present in developmental plans, have not the systemic character and are neither coherent nor complementing each other. Moreover, in majority of cases they do not cover the rural tourism in Poland, with exception of plans of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Developmenty. It appears that rural tourism is viewed in light od problems to be solved in rural areas and not in connection with general strategy of tourism in the country. Such approach is also reflected in the programs of institutional support which, being too general in character, do not guarantee the support for tourist enterprises in the rural areas.