Christmas Markets - The economic factor

Christmas markets can be so romantic and for just that very reason can also be a significant economic factor for towns and communities. Particularly in Germany, the motherland of the Christmas markets. The seven Cologne Christmas Markets alone attract around four million visitors a year. It goes without saying that they do not all live around the cathedral, with about one million residents. According to the information from the North Rhine-Westphalia Retail Trade Federation, approximately 25 % of the visitors to Christmas markets in 2007 came from Germany, the same amount again from Belgium, 20% from Holland and 17.5 % from England.

Christmas Tourism is booming

Naturally these people do not spend their money just at the Christmas markets. They enjoy themselves in restaurant, clubs, bars and pubs; they stay over in hotels, stroll over high and wide streets; visit museums, cinemas and the theatre. Thus, Christmas markets have an important impetus on the domestic tourism sector, retail trade and the culture and events industry. According to a study by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cologne, each visitor spends on average 143 Euros a day in Cologne, and it goes up to 252 Euros including overnight accommodation. The city therefore does not miss any opportunity to support this trend. In 2008 Cologne presented itself for the first time at Christmas in London. The original 'Cologne Christmas Market' was held in the vicinity of the famous 'Big Ben'. Londoners were thrilled by the offers of Kölsch beer, knockwurst and mulled wine. In 2009 the festivities were relived in the new location and also in 2010,  Köln Tourismus GmbH has confirmed their booking again by the Thames. It is therefore not too venturesome according to good Kölsch custom, to call the London subsidiary of the Cologne Christmas market a traditional event.

Cologne on fourth place

Nevertheless, the people of Cologne still have to catch up. In the concert of 2500 German Christmas markets, Cologne does not yet play the very first violin, not even in North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund is still the leader. This is how they lined up in 2007: 1.      Nürnberg 2.      Dresden 3.      Dortmund 4.      Köln 5.      Leipzig 6.      Münster 7.      Erfurt 8.      Rostock 9.      Aachen 10.   Stuttgart Approximately 160 million visitors spend around five billion Euros at the Christmas markets across Germany. For most retailers, a stall at a Christmas market secures them with their livelihood for the entire year.