The Largest Christmas Market This Year Takes Place in Wrocław, the Smallest in Warsaw

NEWS RELEASE

The largest Christmas market this year takes place in Wrocław, the smallest in Warsaw

Warsaw, December 17, 2015 – Colliers International has examined the offer of Christmas markets in selected Polish and European cities. Just before the holiday season experts visited several Christmas markets, comparing the range of products offered, the number of stalls and the price to lease them as well as the most interesting attractions waiting for the visitors. The collected data was published in a report entitled "Christmas markets".

As stated by Colliers International the largest Christmas markets organised in Central and Eastern Europe are located in Berlin, Prague, Dresden, Budapest and Riga. In Poland, they take place in Wrocław, Gdańsk, Kraków, Łódź, Poznań and Warsaw.

Typical products offered there are: food products, regional dishes, cured meat, baked goods and lots of sweets, as well as Christmas decorations and all kinds of handicrafts. Moreover, cultural and entertainment events add to the festivities as well as other seasonal attractions such as nativity scenes, children’s theatres, ice rinks, carousels, the chance to meet Santa Claus and many others.

In Poland, Christmas markets are visited each year by 8.5 million people, who spend a total of PLN 400 million. Customers at Christmas markets are mainly tourists and local residents who take advantage of additional attractions such as the Winter Village in the National Stadium (Warsaw), the Fairy-tale Forest for children (Wrocław), the Christmas Light Show (Gdańsk) and carols and nativity scenes (Kraków). Christmas markets are also a good occasion to organise charity campaigns, such as parade of Santa Clauses on motorbikes organised in Łódź.

Christmas markets are usually organised in the centre of a city. One exception is Warsaw where the events take place on the right-bank of the city, near the National Stadium. In most major cities, apart from the main market there are also smaller fairs, Christmas markets and seasonal bazaars. For example in Warsaw – there is the Christmas Fair in the Old Town (Barbakan), a Christmas market on Wilson Square and a fish market on Powstańców Warszawy Square.

Christmas markets in major Polish cities last for about one month. They usually begin at the end of November or at the beginning of December and finish during the first days of January. This year, the longest market is in Wrocław (38 days) and the shortest one is in Łódź (18 days).

Among the markets visited, the largest one are in Wrocław with its 150 stalls and Gdańsk (approx. 80 stalls). The smallest one this year (about 35 stalls) is in Warsaw. Stall rental prices are various and range between PLN 150 and 350 daily. They vary due to the attractiveness of the market for potential tenants, which depends on factors including the marketing and advertising of the event. In this respect, the Christmas markets in Wrocław and Gdańsk are in first position. They are promoting themselves intensively – all necessary information is available in both the local media and online as well. Both markets feature a wide range of attractions and additional events.

European Christmas markets are becoming increasingly popular among Polish tourists. Due to easy access to Berlin by train, fairs in Germany are the most popular but those in Budapest and Prague are also often visited. Many travel agencies organise trips to Christmas markets for those who are interested. Description of selected European markets (Berlin, Prague, Dresden, Budapest and Riga) is available in the report by Colliers International.

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About Colliers International Group Inc. Colliers International Group Inc. (Nasdaq:CIGI) (TSX:CIG) is a global leader in commercial real estate services with more than 16,300 professionals operating from 502 offices in 67 countries. With an enterprising culture and significant insider ownership, Colliers International delivers a full range of services to real estate users, owners and investors worldwide, including global corporate solutions, brokerage, property and asset management, valuation, building consultancy, appraisal services and insightful research. Colliers International has been recognized and ranked by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals’ Global Outsourcing 100 for 10 consecutive years, more than any other real estate services firm. Colliers International has been active in the Polish market since 1997 and operates through offices in Warsaw, Kraków, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk Katowice and Łódź with over 200 employees in total. The company has been often honored for its achievements by industry organizations such as Eurobuild, CIJ Journal, CEE Quality Awards and the International Property Awards. Colliers’ most recent distinction in Poland include the “Outsourcing Star”, given in recognition of its status as one of the most active real estate advisors in the outsourcing sector; and the “Gazele Biznesu” for being one of the most dynamically developing companies in Poland. More about us on www.colliers.pl

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