Longer-term effects of COVID-19 on the visitation of German Christmas markets

The global COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of all Christmas markets which are regarded as the quintessential German heritage event in the pre-Christmas weeks. Using visitor figures for major Christmas markets, this paper demonstrates the impact of the pandemic on the markets. It shows that following the nationwide cancellation in 2020 and the limited restart in 2021, the visitor numbers in 2022 and 2023 are significantly below pre-pandemic levels. It is suggested that the pandemic accelerated pre-existing trends in the declining importance of Christmas markets as venues to purchase Christmas presents. Avenues for further research are suggested.