Cork’s really marketing itself this Christmas

We knew we were good, but the third most trending city in the world for Christmas markets? Fair play Cork!

Cork has ranked third in the world for cities who have seen the biggest spike in online interest for Christmas markets over the past year.

That’s according to British travel insurance specialists InsureandGo who have analysed online search data to find the cities that have the most Christmas market hype compared to last year.

While the likes of Vienna and Nuremberg’s historic markets remain some of the most iconic to visit worldwide, there are many other fantastic destinations like Cork gaining attention each year, piquing the interest of people looking for more magic, and less crowds.

According to InsureandGo’s research, Australia’s Sydney leads the way with a 233% spike in online Christmas market searches. Following closely behind are Tokyo, Japan with 116%, and Cork with 108%.

Behind Cork were Seattle in the US with a 90% spike, and Helsinki, Finland with 89%.

Chris Rolland, CEO at InsureandGo, said: “Christmas is a thrilling time to visit new cities around the world, made all the more magical with the buzz of the festivities taking place around you, as well as getting to experience how other cultures celebrate this season.

“Last year it was fascinating to see Seattle, a brand-new Christmas market for 2023, top the rankings, and equally interesting to see that this year our research shows that Sydney, with its warm-weather Christmas, is the top trending Christmas market destination for 2024.”