Cultural Event Improves the Image of the City and Brings Money

An international cultural event has a significant positive effect on the image of the host city. Moreover, the participants use quite a sum of money on different services. According to research, an average Tampere Film Festival guest spends approximately 250 euros (1500 FIM) a day. The sum includes tickets, accommodation, travelling and different services.|

- Recent research shows in many ways that Tampere has a positive image. For example, when Finns were asked where they would prefer to live, Tampere was considered the most desirable place even by people from the Helsinki area. The attraction of Tampere has been enhanced, in addition to good traffic connections and university, by cultural events, says Pertti Paltila , the Director of International Affairs, City of Tampere.

Paltila knows the Film Festival particularly well, because he was in charge of the event for 29 years as an executive director. He left his post in April last year.

- Now I'm not involved in the decision making of the Film Festival anymore, but I am going to see the screenings and meet old friends, Paltila says.

Most Guests are Film Enthusiasts

Because the Festival is held in the winter and mostly on weekdays, the festival guests are mainly film enthusiasts, students, film professionals or people who live in Tampere. The average age of the festival guests is from 20 to 30 years, which makes them a little bit older than average moviegoers.

According to Paltila the budget of the event has in recent years been three million marks, which is about half a million euros. Half of the budget comes from the aid of the City of Tampere and Finland's Film Foundation. The proportion of the City is one quarter. The rest comes from the Festival income, such as ticket sales and other sales. The festival also receives some project funding. The interest of sponsors towards cultural events has also increased lately, but according to Paltila their share of the whole is still relatively small.

The Media Has a Significant Influence on the Public Image

The publicity gained through the media and its positive effect on the image of the city is so big, that similar continuous, visible publicity of the city could not be created with any marketing campaigns, says Hannu Salovaara the President of Finland's Travel Development Center Ltd (SMAK).

- The good image also reflects on the economy of the area, although the direct economic influence may be small. Tampere Film Festival cannot, of course, be compared with the Savonlinna Opera Festival, which has a budget of over 4 million euros (25 million marks). The economic influence of the Opera Festival on the area is, however, approximately 22 million euros (130 million marks). This figure gives some kind of an idea of the importance of cultural events, says Salovaara.

- It is said that one person's sphere of influence includes 500 people, so the impact of big events on the image of the city is quite remarkable indeed, he says.

According to Salovaara events such as the Tampere Film Festival are also very important to whole Finland.

- We have plenty of summer events especially in July, but there are far too few attractive wintertime events apart from Lapland. This can be seen in tourism and in the usage rate of hotels. We are also trying to find ways of making people get around and take part in events also in winter.

TEXT: Eeva-Liisa Vallin
TRANSLATION: Elsi Kalapudas
UPDATED: 1 March 2002

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