By Bryce Sanders, travel writer, All Things Cruise.
Bryce and his wife have been doing Christmas market trips annually for about thirty years. Here are some do’s and don’ts for helping your clients make the most of their Christmas market experience:
1. Travel:
If you are in a town or city, you might be using the tram service to get from your hotel or river cruise to the market.
Do: Buy your ticket before boarding. This is often done via automated machines at the stations. Buying a day pass is often only marginally more than buying two fares.
Don’t: Board without a ticket. Many European cities work on the honor system. You board, ride and disembark, with no one checking your ticket! Can’t you be a free rider? No. They have roving inspectors who might board and check tickets. The penalty fines are enormous.
2. Shopping:
Christmas markets are collections of booths, often looking like small cottages, arranged in a grid formation in the town’s main square. They sell food and handmade gift items.
Do: Get cash from an ATM or a currency exchange. You want to be walking around with local currency. These vendors operate on a cash basis, especially the food stands.
Don’t: Show up with a credit card, expecting to be able to charge everything. That works in stores, not Christmas market stalls.
3. Getting around:
Christmas markets are like little villages. A big city like Cologne or Nurenberg might have several hundred stalls.
Do: Expect to do a LOT of walking. If you visit at peak times, expect to be maneuvering your way through crowds.
Don’t: Expect people to clear a path or respect personal space. These markets are usually friendly, with families, co-workers and friends celebrating. The residents are used to the market crowds.
4. Eating:
Restaurants on the edges of the town square should have restaurants where you can order a full meal. Christmas markets are deconstructed.
Do: Expect to find a couple of dozen types of food like sausages on buns, currywurst, potato pancakes and crepes. Each vendor offers one food item or category. You will need to go from stall to stall to assemble your meal. Many visitors eat one course at a time.
Don’t: Expect one stop shopping. You will probably not be able to buy your beverage from the stall selling sausages or your sausages from the stall selling crepes.
5. Drinking:
In Germany, Gluhwein is the traditional beverage. It is a mulled wine served piping hot. It is served in a glass or ceramic mug. These mugs have deposits.
Do: Expect to pay more than you expected for your Gluhwein. Why? Because the mugs require a deposit. Sometimes you are given a plastic coin too. You return the mug and coin to the stand where you bought your Gluhwein. Your deposit is returned immediately.
Don’t: Forget where you bought your Gluhwein or lose the plastic coin. In that case, you have probably just bought a mug as a souvenir.
BONUS: Shopping for the best food prices:
Germany is very standardized. After cruising your first Christmas market (or pushing through crowds) you will notice pricing is uniform. Everyone tends to charge the same price for similar food items.
Do: Plan to buy from the nearest stall selling the food item you want.
Don’t: Assume prices vary based on location in the market. Deposits on Gluhwein mugs might vary, the food and drink prices should be similar.
Christmas markets are a unique and pleasant way to experience many cities and cultures. Consider offering this experience to your clients. Now is the perfect time to learn how to sell Christmas markets with The Travel Institute’s new webinar below sponsored by AMAWaterways.
