Swansea revealed as the UK’s favourite Christmas market

With Christmas just a few days away (and a four day weekend ahead for some), many of us are squeezing in our last important Christmas shopping trips.

Germany’s Christmas markets have historically drawn in tourists from all over the world, and France’s Strasbourg plays host to one of the oldest and most visited Christmas markets – but more and more towns across Wales are having Christmas markets of their own.

The only Welsh feature from the UK

New data has revealed which Christmas markets are seeing the biggest spikes in interest compared to previous years and this year a Welsh city has taken the crown as the number one destination.

Of all the UK towns and cities, from Edinburgh to Bath, Cardiff to Manchester, Swansea has been revealed as the as the UK’s most up and coming destination to visit a Christmas market.

The top three in the UK is completed by York and London, with no other Welsh spots featuring in the top ten.

Swansea’s has slowly built a reputation as a shopping capital, and the festive chalets along Oxford Street and Portland Street have been offering unique gifts, tempting treats and beautiful decorations since 24 November.

Swansea’s market also offers a ‘Bavarian bar’ and ‘Caroler’s cabin’ which have given the shopping destination even more of a ‘Christmassy’ feel.

84% increase

Searches for ‘Swansea Christmas market’ have seen an 84% increase since this time last year which dwarf the UK figures, but don’t come close to the numbers for the worldwide top 3 – the winners being Seattle, with a 650% increase, Belgrade with a 387% growth, and Tallinn which has seen a 236% rise in searches.

Chris Rolland, CEO at InsureandGo, who put together the data said: “The festive period is such a fantastic time to travel, with traditional events specific to each destination offering so much to discover. We wanted to find out which markets are drawing in more visitors than they used to and were thrilled to see some unique locations in the rankings, beyond the classic places we tend to think of when we consider Christmas markets. 
 
“While travelling during this period is incredibly exciting, it’s always important to be prepared when visiting busy places where many people will be in attendance. Keep your belongings close by and be informed about the destination you’re visiting.”