The festive shopping season is in full swing and never more so than in Birmingham city centre where visitor footfall increased by a staggering 22% in the last week alone to over 2 million visitors, compared to a national average increase of just 4%.

Kicking the Christmas calendar of events off in style, the Christmas Parade saw 30,000 visitors flock to the city centre, and just a week after the Frankfurt Christmas market brought visitors to Birmingham in droves for its eleventh consecutive year in the city. 

Despite the reported regional 10% decrease in footfall, Birmingham city centre experienced just a 2.5% drop, bucking the national average and proving that it can compete as a wordclass retail centre. This figure continues to improve as the season progresses, largely due to the city centre's unrivalled regional retail offer with over 1,000 stores, including unique 100 independent retailers, and four large shopping centres including Bullring with the iconic Selfridges store, The Mailbox and four arcades.

Jonathan Cheetham, Chair of Retail Birmingham and General Manager of The Pallasades, commented: "This is huge boost for retailers in Birmingham city centre and we're delighted by the number of happy visitors and shoppers we're seeing in the bustling streets and centres. The city centre has fared extremely well when compared against the national average downturn in footfall, proving that the retail offer in the city is second to none. 

"Retail Birmingham has worked closely with Marketing Birmingham to contribute to a wide reaching 'Christmas in Birmingham' campaign to encourage those from outside the region to come and explore what the city centre has to offer. With so much exciting development in the pipeline, the opening of new stores and centres and an exciting programme of events during 2012, this booming Christmas season is set to start the New Year on the right footing."

With so much for shoppers to do and see this year, it is easy to see why the city centre has attracted so much interest. From the Christmas grotto, 'Miracle on Corporation Street', with its specialist toy shops at House of Fraser; the 'Forest of Light' where visitors can enjoy mince pies and mulled wine at The Mailbox; Spiceal Street, the brand new food quarter at Bullring; a series of live music events at Pavilions and Great Western Arcade, as well as the Frankfurt German Market and Craft Market, there is a busy seasonal schedule.

Commenting on the marked increase in footfall in the city centre, Paul Sutton, General Manager of House of Fraser, said: "The programme of events, including our Christmas Grotto and the Frankfurt Christmas Market has undoubtedly kick started and increased footfall within the city centre this season. The store has been noticeably busier over the last week, which is reflected in our sales and we're hopeful that this will continue into the season given the strong offer that Birmingham city centre as a whole delivers to shoppers from the region and on a national and even international scale.