Leipzig/Chemnitz/Dresden/Annaberg-Buchholz (dpa/sn) - Uncertainty as a result of the energy crisis did not prevent Saxons from visiting the Christmas market this year. The market in Leipzig was particularly well attended on weekends, the city said at the request of the German Press Agency. Overall, the market office is expecting a total number of visitors of "slightly over two million," said office manager Walter Ebert on Monday. This puts 2022 a little behind 2019: Around 2.3 million people visited the Leipzig Christmas market at that time. In 2020 and 2021 he was absent due to the corona pandemic.
The cities of Chemnitz and Annaberg-Buchholz (Erzgebirge district) were also satisfied with the number of visitors to their Christmas markets. For example, the Chemnitz market had an above-average number of visitors during the traditional mountain parade at the end of November. After a two-year break due to the pandemic, visitors from near and far were drawn to the market in the Ore Mountains. However, the exact number of visitors is not recorded, it said.
A spokeswoman for the city said that visitors were not counted in Annaberg-Buchholz either. Regardless of the numbers, everyone - visitors and traders - was basically happy that the market could take place again after two failures.
Visitors to the Christmas markets at Königstein Fortress in the Saxon Switzerland-Osterzgebirge district and on the Neumarkt in Dresden often came several times this year and took the time to linger, said an organizer from the dpa. Visitor numbers are good. However, it is noticeable that fewer tourists are coming to Dresden this year. "That's why less is sold towards the end," said the spokeswoman. Nevertheless, the market will also open between the years this year: "Let's see who else is coming."
