Christmas Markets Compared: Visitor Numbers and Insights for City Marketing and Urban Planners!
Using advanced analytics powered by the patented Ariadne technology, visitor flows at Christmas markets across Germany were precisely measured and compared. The results provide valuable insights for cities to optimize their events.
Unlike traditional counting systems, multilateration anonymously detects smartphone antenna signals across large areas. For the first time, this enables reliable data on visitor numbers, dwell times, and movement patterns down to specific sub-areas. New possibilities for planning, optimization, and security management have become a reality.
Here’s a comparison of five Christmas markets:
📍 Bielefeld (approx. 338,410 inhabitants): In the 4th week of Advent, 302,013 visitors were recorded in the city center, with a large portion at the Christmas market spread across the city. On a small, charming section at Altstädter Kirchplatz alone, over 15,000 visitors enjoyed the atmosphere for an average of nearly an hour.
📍 Braunschweig (approx. 252,816 inhabitants): With 308,380 visitors in the city center on the 4th Advent, Braunschweig leads this list of five cities. Of these, 142,181 visited the Christmas market. The busiest single day, however, was November 30th, before the 1st Advent.
📍 Bamberg (approx. 72,764 inhabitants): In the 3rd week of Advent, 160,488 visitors were counted in the city center, with 42,209 at Maximiliansplatz—a picturesque attraction for the city.
📍 Bernkastel-Kues (approx. 6,897 inhabitants): Small but mighty—the 3rd week of Advent was the most popular for this small town, with 118,935 visitors (closely followed by the 2nd Advent). The Christmas market, spread across the historic old town with numerous activities, is a magnet that justifies longer trips. This might also explain the weaker turnout on the final weekend.
📍 Siegburg (approx. 42,142 inhabitants): The 2nd Advent weekend was the busiest, with 141,249 visitors in the city center, 80,578 of whom were at the market. The 3rd Advent weekend followed closely.
Percentage comparison by Advent weekends: The 4th Advent week was relatively the strongest in the larger cities of Braunschweig and Bielefeld. In Bamberg, Bernkastel-Kues, and Siegburg, the middle weekends were significantly busier, even though multiples of the local population visited these markets.
Conclusions for city planners:
Targeted planning: Knowing the weekends with the highest visitor numbers allows for effective optimization of infrastructure and safety measures.
Marketing activities: The data shows which Advent weekends could be further boosted with targeted activities.
Visitor experience: A better understanding of movement patterns and dwell times can help enhance the attractiveness of the markets.
Safety concepts can be designed, and it can also be explored how surrounding businesses benefit from the markets.
📊 The potential for your city: With technologies like Ariadne, cities can use real-time data to plan events more successfully and optimize visitor and traffic flows.
Do you also want to take your Christmas markets or events to the next level? 🎁 Contact us—together, we can create a win-win situation for organizers and visitors! Sebastian Deppe or Maximilian Dorfmeister.
#ChristmasMarkets #SmartCity #EventAnalysis #Ariadne
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