Santa fears the wurst as Germany corners the Christmas Market

Santa may have more time to concentrate on wrapping presents after being ousted by German markets as the number one way Brits are choosing to get in the festive spirit.

According to research by The Co-operative Travel*, trips to see Santa in Lapland have fallen by over a quarter (26%) compared to last year. In contrast, visits to German markets, both in the UK and Germany, have rocketed.

Trevor Davis, director of retail distribution at The Co-operative Travel says: “German markets are giving travel companies a boost in festive sales as people look to kick start their Christmas shopping and soak up the atmosphere. It seems the popularity of these markets in the UK has encouraged a big increase in people heading to Germany to experience the real thing.

“As well as the millions of people who will visit the markets popping up in major cities up and down the UK, we’re seeing a 25% increase in the numbers of people heading to Germany to sample festive treats and pick up some early presents.”

The rise in popularity of the German markets is part of a wider growth for festive shopping breaks. While family trips to see Santa may be in decline, The Co-operative Travel is reporting that shopping trips to New York and Holland are also seeing a big rise (8% and 21% respectively).