The most successful Brno Christmas so far, praises TIC BRNO

Brno was European and visitors were satisfied

"We have had the most successful edition of the Christmas markets, which is also thanks to the title of the European Capital of Christmas 2024. Brno Christmas resonates beyond the borders. Under the ongoing development of the city's contributory organisation TIC BRNO, which has been building its good reputation for a long time and promoting Brno in the field of tourism, Brno Christmas has become one of the key products. It has also inspired other cities, as evidenced by the visits of organisers of similar events from the Czech Republic and abroad," said Kristýna Černá, Brno City councillor for tourism. 

The satisfaction of visitors is confirmed by data from the sociological survey conducted by the Focus agency. "The poll showed that 74% of the thousand surveyed visitors would recommend Brno Christmas to their friends. The final NPS (Net Promoter Score), which is a basic indicator of satisfaction, reached a very high value of 71, which is a significant improvement compared to 2019 when it was 51. In addition, the number of people who came to Brno specifically for this event increased by 14%, which confirms the growing attractiveness of Christmas markets," said Kristýna Černá, summarizing the survey. Other results of the survey show that three quarters of non-Brno visitors to the Brno Christmas were Czechs. They usually come with their partner, family or friends. Most respondents came for one day. 

TIC BRNO, in addition to managing the markets itself, also ensures the promotion of Brno as a Christmas destination within the Czech Republic and abroad. "We see Brno Christmas as an important tourism product with great destination potential. The City of Brno's Christmas campaign has had a strong response abroad. TIC BRNO, in cooperation with us, approached journalists from neighbouring countries and organised several press trips. This is a great example of promoting a destination through a city festival," said František Reismüller, Director of the CzechTourism agency. Brno welcomed 25 journalists and influencers from Germany, Poland, Austria and Hungary. For example, an article by the German Press Agency achieved significant media coverage, being picked up by more than 80 German online newspapers with a total reach of over 66 million readers. The German radio campaign was also successful, with 83 stations broadcasting it. 

The increased interest was also reflected in the online environment - the Facebook profile of Brno Christmas was viewed by 3.4 million users, the Instagram profile by 1.7 million. There were 1.13 million page views on the brnenskevanoce.cz website and visitors spent a total of 314 days on the site.

TIC BRNO reports positive feedback from retailers 

TIC BRNO organizes Christmas markets in Freedom Square, Dominican Square and the courtyard of the Old Town Hall. In total, there are 78 sales stalls that were open for the 32 days of the Brno Christmas (with the exception of the Winter Bar and Ježíšek's Bar, which were open until 7th January 2025). "The aim of our organisation is to provide a public service in the field of tourism and culture at the highest possible quality. Therefore, all the revenue from the stall rentals, which amounted to 19.6 million CZK this year, we invest back into the organisation of Brno Christmas. We plan our costs to match our revenues as closely as possible, yet this year we made a profit of 35,371 CZK, which will be transferred to the investment fund to cover long-term investments, mainly to improve the Brno Christmas offer," said Jana Janulíková, Director of TIC BRNO. 

Investments in expanding the accompanying programs and cultivating the squares are positively evaluated not only by visitors but also by the vendors themselves. "From my perspective, this year's Christmas market in Freedom Square was a success - thanks to good organisation, well-executed promotion and a rich programme. Thanks to this, the number of visitors to the market increased significantly this year and we also saw many tourists from abroad, especially from Slovakia, Poland and Austria. I liked the illuminated Dragon's Egg, the swings, the illuminated BRNO sign with live video streaming, as well as the garlands above the stalls and the evening DJ production, which added to the pleasant atmosphere," said the long-time operator of one of the popular stalls, the Christmas BAR. Adam Vodička, co-owner of the legendary Turbomošt, feels the same way: "Turbomošt has been a part of the Brno markets since 2009. This year we were thrilled by the varied programme offering and the completely full square, even on weekdays, which was not common in previous years. I especially appreciate the effort to reach out to the younger generation with an interesting music programme, which greatly enhanced the atmosphere. The long-term cooperation with TIC BRNO, which communicates with the vendors every year and takes into account our suggestions and comments, is essential for us and we share the vision of this key partner." 

For the second time, the courtyard of the Old Town Hall also came alive with gourmet markets, which became a showcase of Brno's famous gastronomy. "We see the Gourmet Christmas at the Old Town Hall courtyard as a pleasant extension of our collaboration on the Gourmet Brno project. We have the opportunity to present Brno gastronomy in the winter season at a prestigious and well-attended festival in a very charming setting. This type of gastro event was definitely missing in Brno," mentioned Ron Winkler from Eggo Break Feast Bistro. A total of 9 Brno establishments were featured in the courtyard.

Over a hundred concerts and light installations 

Throughout the entire Brno Christmas, a total of 124 concerts, performances and events took place on the stage in Freedom Square. The headliners included names such as Michal Hrůza, Hana Holišová, Sebastian, P/\ST or Pam Rabbit, NobodyListen and Aiko, who captivated especially the younger audience. The rich program extended to Zelný trh square (Cabbage market) as well, with its markets organised by the city district of Brno-střed.

In addition to music, TIC BRNO also focused on the visual aspect of the markets. The changes were reflected in the squares themselves and the adjacent streets. 12 light installations, 9 of them by renowned Brno artists and studios, appeared there, in local churches and in the Water Tanks Žlutý kopec. One of them was last year's successful novelty - the Brno dragon in a sweater, which won first place in the category of Innovative Marketing Communication at the 2024 Czech Grand Prix for Tourism and gained significant media attention. "I really appreciate the organizers' efforts to cultivate public space and create markets as a contemporary aesthetic and cultural experience for all age groups. The involvement of local artists, architects and designers gives the markets a vibe and an authentic feel that can make visitors much more engaged and involved in non-commercial activities. Moreover, it manages to promote Brno's identity and specific sense of humour, whether through the Brno dragon in a red-and-white sweater, the Dragon Egg, or the children's village with the Golden Wood," evaluated Janica Šipulová, the architect from Consequence Forma architects, the studio behind the design of the children village on the Zelný trh square. 

"In cooperation with our partners, we have built a strong brand for Brno Christmas, which has made Brno one of the top European Christmas destinations. At the same time, thanks to year-round communication with our partners, we have managed to maintain the local character of the event, making it a place where not only visitors but also Brno residents feel welcome. We consider this to be crucial for the long-term sustainability of the event. We all benefit from the multiplying effects of the event, especially the economic and marketing impacts, which have led to a significant increase in the city's visitor numbers. The profitability of the event allows us to bring new features and improvements each year for the best possible experiences for both Brno residents and visitors. This year, we introduced a range of novelties - such as the Dragon Egg in Freedom Square, light installations throughout the city, and a much more progressive music programme, ... We are at the top. Our approach is clearly working, and we intend to continue with it in the coming years, we already have many ideas," concluded director Jana Janulíková.

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