Get International Clients is about getting into different international markets.
This edition of the Sunday Blog Carnival looks at different holiday destinations for the Christmas season… don’t miss my final comments below.
International Marketing Review – International Christmas Shopping
Sunday Blog Carnival #31 – 35 European Christmas Markets
International Marketing Review – Santa Claus In Different Cultures
From the North Pole to the South Pole and all point between, anywhere that you are happy is a good place for Christmas. Here is a list of some Christmas destinations that are probably a bit far from home, but surprisingly not that uncommon for Christmas holiday travelers.
Christmas in the Northern Hemisphere
Christmas is serious winter Finland. The Santa Village in Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland it the place to be. The home of Santa, Father Christmas or the Pere Noel. Over 23 hours of night near Christmas, and total darkness 21 and 22 December. It is a popular destination for the English during December and January when there are as many as 4,000 visitors a day for up to six weeks. Visitors can see Santa, shop, ride snow mobiles, mush with dog sleds, cross country ski, see the Aurora Borealis, all in one long day (a day which is really night).
Keep in mind that Hammerfest Finland is the northernmost city in the world and well above the north of 66.5°N latitude, where there is 24 hours of night. A good destination if you are looking for bragging rights, this is a destination on your trip that most people will find hard to beat.
In neighboring Jukkasjärvi, Sweden you have the Ice Hotel. Every year a new hotel is constructed out of (you guessed it) ice. 200km north of the Arctic Circle, the IceHotel is a great location for your Christmas break. It has hallways lined with ice art, glittering ice chandeliers, beds made of ice, and an ice bar that serves drinks in glasses that are made of ice.
Christmas in the Southern Hemisphere
Christmas is Summertime in the Southern Hemisphere. The farther south you go, the longer your day will be. It’s Summer, but it’s still December, and cold. However, there can be 24 hours of daylight on Christmas Day.
Ushuaia is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego and is the southernmost city in the world. It is located in a wide bay on the southern coast of the island of Tierra del Fuego, and even though December is summer, the average high temperature in December is only 13°C.
Hobart, Tasmania is is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Hobart is the southernmost capital in the world and if your holiday travels have you in Australia, Hobart should be one of your destinations.
Small or Poor Destinations
Determining the poorest country in the world is difficult because people use so many different measurements to determine poor. The Republic of Burundi is a small country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the south and east, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. I consider Burundi to be the poorest because in addition to being more or less tied with several other countries with the smallest measurable pre capita income, Burundi’s neighboring countries are also equally poor, but much larger and with more natural resources. Burundi is landlocked, has extremely poor educational and legal systems, and there is a very high rate of AIDS.
The Vatican City, or the Holy See, in Italy is the worlds smallest country with only 0.44 square kilometers. the Economy of the Holy See is based on the sale of postage stamps, coins, medals, and tourist mementos; by fees for admission to museums; and by the sale of publications. As a tourist, you could get a hotel in Rome, giving you more to see.
Sealand claims to be the smallest principality in the world. During World War II, the United Kingdom built military forts on the edge of their territorial waters to defend England against German air raids. On 2 September 1967 a former English Major Paddy Roy Bates occupied the abandoned island, settled there with his family and declared independence. Visits to Sealand are difficult, and must be arranged with the Sealand government.
Christmas in Bethlehem
The town of Bethlehem in the West Bank of Palestine, about six miles south of Jerusalem, is considered as the birthplace of Jesus. According to the New Testament account of the apostle Matthew, Joseph and Mary were living in Bethlehem in the southern region of Judea at the time of Jesus’ birth and later moved to Nazareth in the northern Galilee region. Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Armenian celebration has held in the city.
Seasonal Marketing
We are just weeks away from Christmas. Beyond these travel destination ideas, I hope this review of a selection of different Christmas vacation spots is an inspiration for:
- Your own seasonal marketing
- How to adapt your seasonal marketing to your different international markets
