No hangovers among the traders at the Christmas markets in the south-west: Despite adverse circumstances, the exhibitors did good business, according to a showmen’s association.
Stuttgart (dpa / lsw) – The exhibitors at the Christmas markets in the southwest draw a positive balance of the season. “After two years of a forced break due to corona, people were really looking forward to the markets and ensured a satisfactory result,” said Werner Burgmeier, President of the State Association of Travel Trades and Showmen, the German Press Agency. However, sales have not yet reached the pre-corona level again.
According to Burgmeier, visitors to the markets made targeted purchases, and spontaneous purchases were rarer. In view of inflation, rising energy prices and more expensive purchases of their goods, retailers could not avoid “moderate price adjustments”. In addition, there were problems with the procurement of products.
Recruiting staff was also difficult. The pandemic drove the permanent workforce into other industries. “It is very difficult to find staff, especially for the evening hours,” said the head of the association. The new minimum wage is also causing problems for the showmen. On the markets, gaps between the stalls can be seen, unlike in the past. The attractiveness of the markets for tourists from Switzerland, the Netherlands and France has also decreased somewhat.
Burgmeier estimates the number of traders at Christmas markets at 3000 in the southwest. About a third of the more than 1,000 communities in the south-west organize a Christmas market.
