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by Jodi Helmer
Amusement parks probably aren’t top of mind for shoppers when it’s time to deck the halls, stuff stockings, or search for one-of-a-kind gifts. Creative park operators around the globe want to change that. Their solution: Christmas markets.
Based on popular European holiday markets, several theme parks have created festive winter wonderlands where artists sell original gifts and seasonal specialties in booths scattered across the midway. The concept benefits parks by extending operating seasons, increasing ticket sales, and generating revenue through space rentals and revenue shares with artisans.
“It’s the right season to highlight specialty merchandise and foods,” explains Michael Fletcher, vice president of entertainment for SeaWorld Orlando. “Guests saw [the Christmas market] as a unique reason to come out to the park.”
The Magic of the Season
SeaWorld Orlando hosted its first Christmas market in 2010, from Thanksgiving through the end of December. As part of the event, artisans were invited to sell items ranging from handmade ornaments and monogrammed stockings to peppermint sticks and hot chocolate. Since the park is open all year, the market was not part of a strategy to extend its operating season. Instead, Fletcher viewed it as a chance to boost attendance and revenue during its annual Christmas events while providing a unique experience for guests.
“The concept was popular and feedback from guests was excellent,” he notes.
For places in cooler climates, one of the biggest reasons for organizing Christmas markets is to draw guests into the park during a season when attendance is low or parks are  closed altogether.
“For us, the Christmas market was a chance to bring in revenue during a period when the park used to be closed down,” notes Ellen Dahl, communications consultant for Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen, Denmark. When Tivoli Gardens opened in 1843 it was a summer attraction. Convinced no one would visit in the winter because of frigid temperatures and significant snowfall, operating during Christmas was never a consideration. All of that changed in 1994 when a performance troupe wanted to rent the theater in the middle of the park for a Christmas show.
“To get to the theater, you have to walk through Tivoli Gardens,” Dahl explains. “We decided it was the perfect time to have an event concentrating around the Christmas theme.”
The first event was small, featuring 20 artisans with booths located inside the main gates of the park. To gauge interest in an outdoor market, Tivoli Gardens decided not to charge admission to its inaugural event. To the surprise of park operators, the market drew 50,000 people. Since then Tivoli has continued to develop the theme and expand the market. In 2010, 70 artisans participated and the Christmas market drew a crowd of 791,000.
A Green Christmas
Operating an iconic Christmas market has helped Tivoli Gardens weather tough economic times, Dahl says: “We are not as sensitive if the summer season fails because of poor weather or low attendance because we have the Christmas season to fall back on. It has been very good for our business.”
The park charges regular admission of 95 DKK (approximately US$18) per person for entrance to Christmas in Tivoli, which includes the Christmas market.
As part of its agreement with vendors, Tivoli Gardens also receives a share of the revenue generated from the sale of market items. As part of its popular Smoky Mountain Christmas event, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee- based Dollywood hosted a Christmas market from 2006 to 2009. The authentic German market featured live demonstrations of craftsmen carving and painting nutcrackers and included several miniature storefronts where artisans sold traditional decorations. Instead of paying a flat fee to rent space, participants agreed to pay Dollywood a percentage of their revenue; the park also agreed to purchase a certain amount of product to guarantee sales.
“The Christmas market was an interactive experience; not only did guests get to see the products being made, they were able to purchase unique items that were signed by the artists,” explains Pete Owens, media and public relations manager for the Dollywood Companies. “It made a holiday experience that was already special even more special.”
Santa’s Workshops
The atmosphere plays a huge role in making a Christmas market feel like a magical experience. “The park is very highly themed; it’s not just a matter of setting up booths,” explains Owens.
While Dollywood set up its Christmas market in one of the park buildings designed for large-scale special events, Busch Gardens, SeaWorld, and Tivoli Gardens erected their markets outdoors, building themed shops for artisans to mimic the appearance of European markets. According to Dahl, it took several years of experimenting with various plans before Tivoli settled on its current layout, which intersperses the Christmas market with other holiday events and attractions that are taking place in the park.
Seasonal staff must be hired to set up and tear down the market, adding labor costs. Also, in parks where storage space is at a premium, it can be a challenge to store the miniature storefronts and decorations required for a Christmas market.
“There are extra costs involved,” admits Owens. “It’s important to invest in the event, especially in an environment like ours, because our guests expected the market to fit with the overall event theme.”
 Crafty Elves
Though the market might run for six weeks, it can take months to find the right vendors.
There was so much demand to be included in Mistletoe Marketplace, the Christmas market that Busch Gardens Williamsburg launched as part of its holiday programming in 2009, that organizers imposed a July 31 deadline for vendor applications. With space limited to 44 artisans and a desire to offer a mix of products, the competition is fierce.
“Maintaining a diverse selection of artisans and products keeps the marketplace fresh for guests no matter how many times they visit the park during the holidays,” explains Franz Kitenko, vice president of merchandise for the Virginia theme park. “We imposed an application deadline so we have time to select the most compelling vendors.”
To find vendors, organizers often attend craft fairs, scour galleries, and ask local artisans for recommendations, focusing on a mix of different products at a range of price points.
“We wanted to make ours a true marketplace, not just a souvenir shop,” explains Fletcher. “We didn’t want to have products in the market that you could find at a retailer down the street, and that took time.”
The Holiday Spirit Stays Alive
At parks like Busch Gardens and SeaWorld, where the Christmas markets are still novel, it’s easy to capture the excitement of guests who are experiencing the event for the first time. Once a Christmas market is established, parks have to work harder to keep guests coming back.
Tivoli Gardens adds new elements to its Christmas market every season, bringing in new vendors, adding demonstrations, or introducing new rides. The approach has worked and attendance continues to grow. Dahl expects 900,000 guests to attend the market in 2011.
“It’s become part of the Christmas tradition in Copenhagen,” she says.
The Christmas market at Dollywood ran for three years. After that, operators chose to integrate elements from the market into existing retail outlets throughout the park.
“We try to add new elements every few years as individual marketing hooks, and it was time to try other things,” Owens notes. “It was a really successful event and we’d certainly look at doing it again in the future.”
Jodi Helmer is a frequent contributor to Funworld. She is looking forward to combining her holiday shopping with a trip to an amusement park. Learn more about her work at www.jodihelmer.com.
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