Competition in the event industry is hotter than ever.
Iltalehti has reported that the events of the Finnish summer are still being canceled, even though the restrictive measures of the corona pandemic have been lifted. The reasons given by the industry are, for example, the delayed ticket sales and the oversupply of events.
The festival expert interviewed by Iltalehti has said that a record number of festivals are now being canceled at the Finnish level.
– It’s an illusion that the festivities would go well now, he said.
Director of Communications at the Event Industry Association Maria Sahlstedt says that although some of the events in the summer have been canceled, the recovery in the event industry has got off to a good start. Tapahtumateollisuus ry is the central organization of the event industry, representing about 250 companies in the field and more than 20 industry associations in the event industry.
Large and well-known events are still volatile despite recent years. Photo of the province from 2018. Marko Tuominiemi
– The situation is divided. There are a lot of events coming for the summer: two years postponed and a lot of new ones. Claims that a record number of festivals will be canceled or tickets will not go on sale are not the whole truth, Sahlstedt says.
Tough competition
Sahlstedt believes that the success of the events will also be affected by the general rise in the level.
– Consumer demands for events have been growing for several years. That, too, affects competition between events, especially now that there is a record supply.
CEO of Lippupiste Oy Ari Palhamo deplores the intensified competition in the sector. Tickets are now being bought even more than before the pandemic, but there are not enough visitors for all events.
Customers have purchased tickets to events later than in previous years. Picture of Himos Midsummer from the summer of 2021. ATTE KAJOVA
– There will be a record number of events in Finland this year and next. Ticket sales are going well, unfortunately there is just not as much market as events. This benefits the biggest and best-known events and makes it harder for smaller, newer events, Palhamo says.
– Although it is said that the situation in the industry is catastrophic, it is not true in the big picture, he continues
Too late?
In April, Iltalehti was told that today customers buy tickets for events so late that the money needed to organize them may not be enough in time. In this case, the risk-bearing capacity of all event organizers is put to the test.
– I would not say that the time of buying a ticket affects all players in the industry. Some companies have more risk-bearing capacity than others, Sahlstedt says.
– Consumers take their time to learn to buy tickets well in advance. As events begin to announce the end of the sale, people will surely wake up again to the need to be on the move in time.
Palhamo is on the same lines as Sahlstedt.
– Tickets for events will be purchased later and the organizer’s cash flow will be realized more slowly than before. It has led to the situation overheating and the event organizer may not have wanted to take a big risk, he notes.
– When events soon start to sell out, people will see that the ticket must be bought in time. We are confident that the situation will improve.
The war is not affected
Event organizer CEO of Fullsteam Agency Tuomo Tähtinen does not want to blame customers for late ticketing.
– Customers cannot be blamed, the buying behavior is certain for various reasons. In any case, sales curves vary, for example, in different regions of Finland and in different years. The event organizer must be prepared for the fact that sometimes the sales curve can be very final, Tähtinen says.
Ellinoora performing at Himos Midsummer in the summer of 2021. ATTE KAJOVA
Fullsteam has not canceled and does not intend to cancel any of its events in the summer.
– We’re heading for the summer. We are pleased with the way ticket sales have developed so far. Our view is that people are very hungry to get back to events, Tähtinen says.
For example, Fullsteam is responsible for organizing the Province. According to Tähtinen, last week was the best April sales week in the province’s history.
– The size of an event alone does not determine whether it is interesting or not. After all, it is clear that there are many events now, other than festivals. Of course, I hope all the events are successful, he continues.
The Ukrainian war has not affected Fullsteam’s operations either.
– We had some discussions on the subject at the beginning of the war, but practically no effects have been seen. All foreign artists are coming to perform as agreed, Tähtinen says.