I just read that the Savonlinna Opera Festival had 72 000 visitors this year. It’s 9000 more than last year. Something about the popularity of this month long festival tells the fact that one third of the tickets for next year have been sold already. Another hard fact that speaks for the accomodation is that we already have 10 days fully booked for next year. Amazing.

But the problem that arises from this is that the castle seats approximately 2500 people and there are nowhere near that figure the amount of beds available. If the opera guests could be kept in town for another day that would mean another 100 € of money spent per head. If 200 people could be kept in town an extra night – it would mean another 20 000€. And 200 people is only 10 percent of one opera!!!

I’m sure there are enough people trying to cash in on this festival – but the thing is to create a useful use for the accomodation that would otherwise be empty in the winter time. And that IS a problem in a town that has only 27 000 inhabitants.