Mulled wine, twinkly lights—and millions of trips.
Strasbourg’s Christmas market drew 3.4 million visitors in 2024 (up from 3.3m in 2023), while Vienna’s flagship Rathausplatz market counted 3.3 million the season prior. In the U.S., Chicago’s Christkindlmarket set a record 1.4 million visitors at its downtown site in 2024.
Together, winter festivals in Edinburgh delivered £198 million in economic impact last season.
Key Stats: Christmas Market Tourism
- London, Vienna, Prague are among the top desired destinations globally for Christmas market travel, based on search and social-media data in 2024.
- Flight searches for Christmas travel internationally have increased by about 20% in 2024, reflecting high demand for holiday market and festive trips.
- Americans’ travel spending priorities are shifting: more people are opting for experiences (including holiday markets) rather than just gifts. Bookings to European destinations are significantly up, with some airlines reporting ~30% increases vs 2019 over the holiday period.
- Seasonal tourism (Thanksgiving-to-New Year) contributes a large share of annual travel in the U.S. and Europe; Christmas markets are a component of this surge.
- Germany is THE Christmas market hub: there are between 2,500-3,000 markets across the country every season.
- Major markets like Dresden Striezelmarkt, Munich’s Marienplatz, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg each draw around 3 million visitors annually during the festive season.
- Some cities are seeing big growth in Christmas market attendance: Zagreb’s numbers jumped ~41%, Strasbourg ~19%, Budapest ~18% for the 2024-25 period compared to their past averages.
How big is Christmas-market tourism in Europe?
Germany alone hosts roughly 2,500–3,000 markets each year, making it the global center of Christmas-market travel.
An academic review cites that range and traces the format’s modern tourism role across Europe.
The headline markets attract city-break-level crowds. Strasbourg passed 3.4m in 2024, Vienna’s Rathausplatz welcomed 3.3m the year before, and Nuremberg’s Christkindlesmarkt reported ~2.0m visitors in 2024. Dresden’s Striezelmarkt sees around 90,000 visitors per day at peak.
Biggest reported Christmas markets
| City & Market | Reported attendance | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Strasbourg (France) – Christkindelsmärik | 3.4 million | 2024 |
| Vienna (Austria) – Rathausplatz/City Hall | 3.3 million | 2023 |
| Nuremberg (Germany) – Christkindlesmarkt | ~2.0 million | 2024 |
| Chicago (USA) – Christkindlmarket (Downtown) | 1.4 million | 2024 |
Sources: Strasbourg 2024 & 2023 figures; Vienna 2023; Nuremberg 2024; Chicago 2024.
Which markets draw the biggest crowds—and why?
Legacy, scale, and access. Strasbourg brands itself “Capitale de Noël,” runs ~300 chalets across the historic center, and coordinates rail/park-and-ride to spread footfall.
Vienna layers high-profile tree lightings and multiple concurrent markets. Nuremberg leverages its historic Christkind tradition and international awareness. Dresden’s daily inflows remain among Germany’s highest for a single site.
What does all that footfall mean for local economies?
Winter events aren’t just “nice to have.” Edinburgh’s Winter Festivals (Christmas + Hogmanay) generated £198 million in total economic impact in 2024/25, drawing 2.8 million attendees across seven weeks, per the organizers’ post-event report and council papers.
In Strasbourg’s 2023 evaluation, hotels averaged ~95% occupancy during the market period; P+R facilities logged 115,000 entries—evidence that markets push both stays and day-trip traffic.
Economic & capacity signals (last season)
| City / Measure | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh – total winter-festival impact | £198m | Christmas £150m; Hogmanay £48m |
| Edinburgh – total attendance | 2.8m | Seven-week season |
| Strasbourg – avg. hotel occupancy (market period) | ~95% | Up from ~90% prior year |
| Strasbourg – P+R entries (market period) | 115,000 | +8% vs. 2019 |
Sources: Edinburgh post-event reporting; Strasbourg 2023 city report.
How strong is the U.S. market?
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket keeps setting records: organizers tallied 1.4m at Daley Plaza in 2024 and 1.65m across Chicago + Aurora combined.
The event reports 2m+ combined across locations in 2023. That makes it a reliable anchor for inbound regional travel and downtown spending.
What do visitors actually spend?
German industry figures (DSB) put average spend around €18 per visit on the market itself, separate from additional spending in nearby restaurants, shops and attractions. This helps explain why many cities view holiday markets as a winter shoulder-season hedge.
How are cities managing crowding and access?
Operational tweaks are now standard: Strasbourg extended chalet hours to 9 p.m., reshaped stall layouts to widen aisles, and coordinated with regional rail to smooth peaks. Crowd-flow measures and park-and-ride expansions are in planning for future editions.
Planning tip for travelers
Holiday travel is a peak-demand period. Google’s 2024 guidance suggests booking well in advance for Christmas-time flights to avoid price spikes—common sense that aligns with what popular markets are seeing on the ground.
Key takeaways
- Europe’s marquee markets routinely hit 2–3+ million visitors per city.
- Economic returns are material: Edinburgh’s winter season delivered £198m last year.
- Operational management matters: late openings, rail tie-ins, and P+R usage are now baked into planning.
- The U.S. scene is growing, with Chicago leading at 1.4m downtown visitors in 2024.
Sources
- Ville de Strasbourg — Bilan de l’édition 2023 de Strasbourg Capitale de Noël (press dossier)
- Dernières Nouvelles d’Alsace — Marché de Noël : 3,4 millions de visiteurs en 2024
- AP News — Lighting of Vienna town hall Christmas tree marks start of Yuletide season
- Stadt Nürnberg (official) — Christkindlesmarkt 2024 mit rund zwei Millionen Gästen
- Sächsische Zeitung — Dresdner Striezelmarkt 2024: 90.000 Besucher täglich erwartet
- MDPI (Sustainability) — “Christmas Markets—Origin, Sustainability and Tourism” (review)
- Deutscher Schaustellerbund — Kennzahlen: Ausgaben & Umsätze (Volksfeste & Weihnachtsmärkte)
- CBS Chicago — Christkindlmarket 2024 set attendance records
- Christkindlmarket (organizer) — About & attendance (2023 overview)
- City of Edinburgh (Council papers) — Edinburgh’s Christmas & Hogmanay — Outcome Report 2024/25
- The Independent — Edinburgh winter festivals worth almost £200 million to city
- Google — Holiday travel trends & booking insights (2024)
0 Comment