Student staffing shortage forces Linnanmäki, Särkänniemi and Moominworld to close on weekdays

As schools reopened in late August, Finland's major amusement parks, including Linnanmäki, Särkänniemi and Naantali's Moominworld, closed their gates on weekdays and have seen visitor numbers fall, YLE reports.

Park managers say the main reason is staffing: many attractions rely on students who return to studies after summer. Staffing is tight. Linnanmäki CEO Satu Järvelä said the Helsinki park stayed open longer this year to serve foreign tourists, noting many Swedish visitors and, pleasingly, a lot of Estonians. Särkänniemi CEO Mikko Hautasaari said Tampere's greater distance from Estonia means Estonian day trips alone do not yet justify daily openings once schools are back. He warned that extreme weather events can also disrupt operations even as warmer springs and autumns could lengthen seasons.

The Ministry of Education and Culture is compiling 213 consultation responses on a proposal to shift summer holidays later. Education counsellor Minna Bálint said 158 came from organisations and 73 from private individuals, an unusually high number of personal replies. The suggestion builds on a national plan to move summer holidays later and add an April break proposed in May. Locally, Tampere-area parents were recently asked to choose preferred start dates for next year in a Wilma survey.

Parks are exploring off-season uses. Moominworld is considering post-summer activities and Linnanmäki is eyeing a Christmas event. Tourists continue to visit cities like Turku and seek local food experiences despite some sites being closed or under renovation.