Hotel business and numbers/ newsarticle

[SabsP]

Some numbers and statistics.

No surprises as far as I can see.

El turismo internacional se dispara: supone ya casi la mitad de viajeros en Santiago

En la última década el número de extranjeros que pernocta en Santiago ha subido un 70 %

www.elcorreogallego.es

 

[Bradypus]

I saw this article earlier today. From the Daily Express - not my favourite reading normally. Reporting that Spain wants to address overcrowding in the tourist sector by going upmarket and attracting a better class of tourist. That's me stuffed then...

Spain only wants to attract 'high-class tourists' as country becomes overwhelmed

Spain is set to focus on 'high value visitors' including those with significant 'spending power' as the country battles high visitor numbers each year.

www.express.co.uk

 

[SabsP]

I saw this article earlier today. From the Daily Express - not my favourite reading normally. Reporting that Spain wants to address overcrowding in the tourist sector by going upmarket and attracting a better class of tourist. That's me stuffed then...

Spain only wants to attract 'high-class tourists' as country becomes overwhelmed

Spain is set to focus on 'high value visitors' including those with significant 'spending power' as the country battles high visitor numbers each year.

www.express.co.uk

Ha!

Do not want to start a discussion btw about pilgrims/ tourists ( see forumrules ) but I can imagine that Spanish tourism boards want to have a diverse group of tourists staying.
Not only stagparties in Barcelona/ Alicante and not only the passing pilgrims.

 

[Robo]

Interesting ariticle.

"On average, each tourist was in Compostela 1.7 days compared to 1.6 last year. Even so, Santiago is still very far from the national average, which reaches 2.9 days"

Perhaps when it comes to Pilgrims who have walked/cycled/ridden to Santiago rather than other types of visitors, therein lies the challenge. For many the "journey" was the destination. Their time in Santiago may only be a brief stay before going home, to go to mass, the Pilgrim's office, and rest a night before going home.

I usually stay in Santiago a day, but don't really like to linger longer. It can start to become a sad place in a way as you watch other Pilgrims arriving. It's like an emotional roller coaster with a 24 hour cycle. Joy and relief, celebration, and then thinking of home.......

For Pilgrims at least, maybe trying to keep them In Santiago longer is rather like standing up at a Wedding Reception and inviting the guests to come back again tomorrow

Maybe also, Pilgrims try to stretch their available time away from home/work to spend as much time walking as possoble. Rather than spend extra days in Santiago? For what?

What would encourage you to stay longer in Santiago?

They could promote the shorter routes in and out of Santiago as 'extras' to add on if you have time?
Aren't Pilgrims there to walk.........rather than go sightseeing/shopping/bar hopping?

 

[VNwalking]

What would encourage you to stay longer in Santiago

I don't need encouragement - I really enjoy a longer time there. After the usual important things at the Cathedral*, just resting, watching people arrive, wandering, having several pots of tea and a lazy breakfast or 2 at Tertulia, meeting friends...there's no shortage of ways to enjoy Santiago besides the obvious rooftop tour and portico de Gloria tour.

*The separate mass in English with Fr Manny is a joy, if it's happening, by the way. As is the check-in with the Sisters in the welcome office upstairs from where you get your Compostela.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

For Pilgrims at least, maybe trying to keep them In Santiago longer is rather like standing up at a Wedding Reception and inviting the guests to come back again tomorrow

LOVE this analogy. You've nailed it for me, 100%

 

[Tincatinker]

I’ve always regarded myself as a better class of tourist. I tend to spend my cash in the small, family run, hotels; insalubrious bars and restaurants that, in the main, don’t feature on Tripeadvertiser and it’s ilk. I do this rather than buy my holiday from a company based in Germany but owned by an investment fund lodged in some off-shore tax haven that has as much regard to its impact on localities as the average government has on the governed.

Anybody that feels the need to experience my 50,000 word tirade on what the cruise ships did to my beloved Barcelona needs a hobby, badly needs a hobby. But it is available, if you must….

 

[Kirkie]

Coincidence. An article in the paper I read carries a story of a different direction for tourism, from Spain...The paper is the Irish Times. I only show the photo, you may be able to access the article if it interests you.
With particular reference to @Tincatinker's post, Investment companies will swoop like the Vultures they are, but when the wind changes... as per Nursing home companies... their psychologists are working on the next lucrative opportunity. Meanwhile, buen camino, seriously!

Edit: I became aware of these vultures about 1960 when my relgion class teacher introduced us to The Hidden Persuaders, by Vance Packard. I have just found it online. I grind no axe, I am going to read it again now to see how it has held up...

 

[David Tallan]

Interesting ariticle.

"On average, each tourist was in Compostela 1.7 days compared to 1.6 last year. Even so, Santiago is still very far from the national average, which reaches 2.9 days"

Perhaps when it comes to Pilgrims who have walked/cycled/ridden to Santiago rather than other types of visitors, therein lies the challenge. For many the "journey" was the destination. Their time in Santiago may only be a brief stay before going home, to go to mass, the Pilgrim's office, and rest a night before going home.

I usually stay in Santiago a day, but don't really like to linger longer. It can start to become a sad place in a way as you watch other Pilgrims arriving. It's like an emotional roller coaster with a 24 hour cycle. Joy and relief, celebration, and then thinking of home.......

For Pilgrims at least, maybe trying to keep them In Santiago longer is rather like standing up at a Wedding Reception and inviting the guests to come back again tomorrow

Just a note that in some cultures, weddings can last a week or more, so the scenario isn't that unlikely.

Maybe also, Pilgrims try to stretch their available time away from home/work to spend as much time walking as possible. Rather than spend extra days in Santiago? For what?

What would encourage you to stay longer in Santiago?

I generally stay a bit longer. The Cathedral, with its museums and rooftop tour could be a day in and of itself. Obviously, better promoting the things to do in Santiago (the museums, the parks, the markets, etc.) could help encourage people. They could also promote Santiago as a place to stay while you take some day trips to other locations in Galicia. Finisterre and Muxia, of course, come to mind, but if one hasn't walked in on the Portugues, then Padron or Pontevedra could be nice day trips, as a couple of other examples. I also like to just hang out in Plaza de Obradoiro (if the weather isn't too bad) and watch the pilgrims arrive. They might include people I recognize.

They could promote the shorter routes in and out of Santiago as 'extras' to add on if you have time?
Aren't Pilgrims there to walk.........rather than go sightseeing/shopping/bar hopping?

There is nothing wrong with sightseeing/shopping/bar hopping once you have reached your destination, whether it is your daily destination or the destination of your pilgrimage.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

If they want to increase the number of overnights by pilgrims they could do worse than promoting day trips from Santiago - exactly as @SeñorJacques is looking for in a separate thread.
Whilst it's true that the local shops and bars would prefer to have his custom, the accommodation at the very least gets an extra night's custom, and presumably as a minimum somebody sells an additional breakfast.
Many years ago I worked at a backpackers in Coffs Harbour Australia, part of my job was to sell the day trips - a (private) bus trip to a beach, horse riding and white water rafting were favourites.
Don't know of any white water rafting around Santiago, (shame!) but if they were to promote day trips to A Coruna or Vigo for example people might consider staying longer.

 

[Anamiri]

An odd thing not mentioned, is that the pilgrims are part of the tourism attraction/experience, as I experienced once when some tourists shoved their cameras in my face. We are even included in commentaries.