ABSTRACT

Seasonal Christmas markets have been established in European cities since the late Middle

Ages. In the second half of the twentieth century, they became more and more like events

and were popular destinations for excursions (Kammerhofer-Aggermann et al., 2003).

Destination development in relation to Christmas markets is a process of using the

market as a tool to make a place or region an attractive and worthwhile place to visit.

Some Christmas markets, such as the Christmas market in Dortmund, can be regarded

as “hallmark events” (Richie, 1984), i.e. major events that are regularly arranged

(usually annually) at a place and have become so closely linked to the place image and

branding that the place and the event are inseparable in most people’s mind (Andersson

et al., 2009). Thus, hallmark events are not necessarily large events in terms of visitors

and turnover, but strong in association to place identity (Getz, 2005). Successful Christmas

markets, therefore, can be regarded as vital in developing strong destination brands during

the Christmas season, particularly when they are developed into hallmark events.