Pilgrim office statistics from SJPDP - numbers up 33% on last year (Apr 2023)

[Bradypus]

The SJPDP pilgrim office has published monthly figures and annual totals of pilgrims registered there since 2012. They are noting that for the first three months this year pilgrim numbers are up by 33% on the same period in 2022. Similar to the 2019 figures.

Bureau d'accueil des pèlerins de St Jacques de St Jean Pied de Port | Les statistiques du bureau d'accueil des Pèlerins nous donnent une progression de 33% des pèlerins enregistrés à SJPDP par rapport à 2022 sur les... | Facebook

Les statistiques du bureau d'accueil des Pèlerins nous donnent une progression de 33% des pèlerins enregistrés à SJPDP par rapport à 2022 sur les 3 premiers mois de l'année.

www.facebook.com

 

[Tincatinker]

I expect the authorities are planning the containment pens already. What was it last time? Only 100 departures an hour unless you could prove you were married? My memories fade…..

 

[Bradypus]

My memories fade…..

But your fertile imagination more than compensates

 

[Bradypus]

An article this afternoon from La Voz de Galicia is reporting an increase on the same scale in the numbers recorded arriving in Santiago. So the same story being told today at both ends of the Frances.

El Camino no se cansa de batir récords: crece un 32 % el número de peregrinos que llegaron a Santiago de enero a marzo

Más de 16.300 personas hicieron la ruta jacobea durante el primer trimestre de 2023, unas 5.300 más que en el mismo período del año anterior, que fue el de mayor afluencia en la historia del Xacobeo

www.lavozdegalicia.es

 

[CWBuff]

at this rate couple of years from now we'll have a line akin to trying to get to Everest BC1

 

[Bradypus]

at this rate couple of years from now we'll have a line akin to trying to get to Everest BC1

I walked my second Camino in 2002. I was amazed at the changes since my first walk and at how busy the Camino had become. I remember thinking at the time that it must be reaching a peak and that the bubble would burst sometime soon. There were about 69,000 Compostelas handed out that year. I seem to have been a bit off the mark.

 

[Tincatinker]

And 10 years later I followed that same path. In early April there weren’t what anyone now would call crowds but I had plenty of company. Nonetheless we all found beds, even in Logrono on Black Friday, even in Sarria on a Friday night. Dunno how many Compostela were issued that year but mine was among ‘em.

 

[Ianinam]

In Roncesvalles the big albergue opened on March 10th and since that date we had 74% more pilgrims up till yesterday, comparing to last year. March was just a bit more than last year, but since last weekend the daily numbers are much more than last year at the start of April.

 

[trecile]

In Roncesvalles the big albergue opened on March 10th and since that date we had 74% more pilgrims up till yesterday, comparing to last year. March was just a bit more than last year, but since last weekend the daily numbers are much more than last year at the start of April.

How are the numbers compared to pre-pandemic years?

 

[lt56ny]

I walked my second Camino in 2002. I was amazed at the changes since my first walk and at how busy the Camino had become. I remember thinking at the time that it must be reaching a peak and that the bubble would burst sometime soon. There were about 69,000 Compostelas handed out that year. I seem to have been a bit off the mark.

I walked in 2012 and I see the big changes over the last 11 years. From your first walk it must be mind boggling.

 

[trecile]

Similar to the 2019 figures.

This is important. We really need to know how the current numbers stack up against pre-pandemic numbers.

 

[Bradypus]

This is important. We really need to know how the current numbers stack up against pre-pandemic numbers.

The numbers for the first three months of the year from SJPDP are fairly similar in 2019 and 2023. But there are more pilgrims so far this year in Santiago - 11,218 in 2019 and 16,380 this year. A substantial increase.

 

[t2andreo]

at this rate couple of years from now we'll have a line akin to trying to get to Everest BC1

The solution to crowding coming out of SJPdP is deceptively simple. Someone just needs to make a popular, full-length movie or write some popular books, espousing the fabulous Caminos to be had starting from other, traditional and historic places.

Things were increasing slowly from year to year early in this century, until the German comedian fellow wrote a still-very popular book about his Camino on the Frances. Then, in 2010, the Estevez / Sheen family produced "The Way," later translated into many different languages. Each year, when a new language version was released, we saw a marked surge in pilgrims from that country. That is what spiked the pilgrim numbers from many English-speaking countries.

More recently, a Korean pop star, and another film or TV star from South Korea walked their Caminos and wrote books about their experiences for the home audience - in South Korea. This in-turn, had the expected result of increasing the pilgrim numbers from South Korea hugely. Pilgrims from South Korea are now in the top six or seven nationalities on the Camino Frances.

Each of these cultural events: the German comedian's book, the film "The Way," and the books from the Korean pilgrims, among other inducements, all caused a HUGE increase in the numbers along the Camino Frances.

Thus, and logically, the easiest way to spread the traffic - to me at least - is to do something to make the other routes similarly desirable. All of the routes have history and tradition. otherwise they would not have been included as "official" Camino routes. One cannot just paint yellow arrows along a path leading to Santiago, and be a formal Camino route.

There is actually a formal process to go thorough. It can take years for the local folks to successfully argue their case to the national Camino route authorities.

One of the more recent routes to be formally added was the Camino de Invierno, from Ponferrada to Santiago. You can search this Camino route out to determine it;s origins and the process taken by the locals to get it approved in 2016.

This just needs to happen. Once potential pilgrims realize the significance of he other Camino routes, the use of these routes will follow.

I hope this helps the dialog.

Tom

 

[Bradypus]

Once potential pilgrims realize the significance of he other Camino routes, the use of these routes will follow.

There has been a big growth in interest in the Camino Portugues in recent years. Many people seem to be choosing it as their first Camino. Though it may take time to change the perception that "the Camino" means "the Camino Frances". When I finished walking the Primitivo a young man in Santiago asked if I had any plans to walk "the real Camino" some day.

 

[Rhysmike]

An article this afternoon from La Voz de Galicia is reporting an increase on the same scale in the numbers recorded arriving in Santiago. So the same story being told today at both ends of the Frances.

El Camino no se cansa de batir récords: crece un 32 % el número de peregrinos que llegaron a Santiago de enero a marzo

Más de 16.300 personas hicieron la ruta jacobea durante el primer trimestre de 2023, unas 5.300 más que en el mismo período del año anterior, que fue el de mayor afluencia en la historia del Xacobeo

www.lavozdegalicia.es

I find it hard to reconcile the numbers with what you see on the trail. When we walked last year, 2022, we were told that everywhere was booked out, but I think that meant double rooms as albergue beds were available. Most days up until Sarria weren't crowded at all and many cafes that had previously been busy were empty.

 

[Bradypus]

@Rhysmike A lot would depend on when you walked. The peaks for leaving SJPDP are in May and September. Outside of those numbers tend to be lower up to Sarria.

 

[AnneMarie1]

@Rhysmike A lot would depend on when you walked. The peaks for leaving SJPDP are in May and September. Outside of those numbers tend to be lower up to Sarria.

Maybe more people are starting in April this year, having learned that it could get crowded in May? I hope so. I am starting in early May and really don't want this to feel like it's mobbed with people. (From where I'm starting, off the "main path" at first, it probably won't. But once I hit the main one ... ?) I hope most of those people skip the meseta! I'd like some company and social life, but not mobs.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

The numbers for the first three months of the year from SJPDP are fairly similar in 2019 and 2023. But there are more pilgrims so far this year in Santiago - 11,218 in 2019 and 16,380 this year. A substantial increase.

I see that you are resisting providing the actual numbers to enable the comparison between 2019 and this year for starts from SJPdP, why is that?

The very large increase at Santiago de Compostela is entirely made up of Spanish pilgrims starting around the 100klm mark. Year on year, numbers starting from SJPdP have tended to slightly increase in April, remain steady or reduce in May and decrease in June. Perhaps indicating that May 2019 was a highwater mark for Spring departures and suggesting that pilgrims are starting earlier in the year but without any overall increase.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Maybe more people are starting in April this year, having learned that it could get crowded in May? I hope so. I am starting in early May and really don't want this to feel like it's mobbed with people. (From where I'm starting, off the "main path" at first, it probably won't. But once I hit the main one ... ?) I hope most of those people skip the meseta! I'd like some company and social life, but not mobs.

The towns on the Meseta have been reporting greatly reduced pilgrim numbers for some years now. You won't find any mobs before the 100 klm mark.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

More than twice as many pilgrims walked the Portuguese Caminos compared with pilgrims starting from St.Jean on the Frances. In addition the Portuguese Caminos are less than half the distance from St. Jean to Santiago de Compostela and as a result the density of pilgrims on the Portuguese Caminos is much higher but, so far, I have not seen posts suggesting that there are huge increases in those numbers.

By being careful not to reveal the full historic numbers it is very easy to publish misleading information.

 

[trecile]

Year on year, numbers starting from SJPdP have tended to slightly increase in April, remain steady or reduce in May and decrease in June. Perhaps indicating that May 2019 was a highwater mark for Spring departures and suggesting that pilgrims are starting earlier in the year but without any overall increase.

2019 was the high water mark for those starting from SJPdP overall, as you can see from this graph that I created from data from the Pilgrim's Office in St Jean.



Here's a month by month comparison of 2019 and 2022

 

[DoughnutANZ]

2019 was the high water mark for those starting from SJPdP overall, as you can see from this graph that I created from data from the Pilgrim's Office in St Jean.

View attachment 144352

Here's a month by month comparison of 2019 and 2022

View attachment 144353

Now what we need are the actual numbers for 2023

 

[AnneMarie1]

I won't get to the 100 km mark. Planning on diverting to the Invierno at Ponferrada.

The towns on the Meseta have been reporting greatly reduced pilgrim numbers for some years now. You won't find any mobs before the 100 klm mark

 

[Kathor1]

Fwiw, I’ve been always interested in the contemporary history of Caminos in Spain and the changes and shifts connected with this. While it was scholarly works at first, then the Friends of the Camino associations, then books of the popular literature category and a few movies (productions in Spanish, in French, and in English come to mind) that contributed to the increase in numbers, today it is articles in the travel section of news media and travel programs on TV and the impact of social media (photos and posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, blogs, vlogs) that fuel interest. Perhaps in particular in Spain, although I don’t notice it much as I don’t live in Spain and don’t follow Spanish media as a rule but from what I’ve glimpsed now and then there was a lot of media output about Camino walking during the last two years (Jacobean Years 2021-2022).

 

[Kathor1]

2019 was the high water mark for those starting from SJPdP overall, as you can see from this graph that I created from data from the Pilgrim's Office in St Jean.

View attachment 144352

Very nice, @trecile. What is noticeable is the fact that, from 2016 onwards, the increase in numbers being registered at the Pilgrim Office in SJPP has not been as pronounced as in previous years and (presumably) not followed the rate of increase at the other end of the Camino Francés?

 

[Kathor1]

I had a look at the data of the PO in SJPP for the first four months of the year. 2020 … what a year it could have become if only Covid had not happened … we will never know …

 

[VNwalking]

I seem to have been a bit off the mark.

Just a bit.

I hope most of those people skip the meseta! I'd like some company and social life, but not mobs.

FWIW, in 2019 I walked the Vasco-Francés-Invierno in May-June and did fine on the Francés, staying in small pueblos (or none - like San Anton). I was surprised to be so free to not plan ahead, but clearly the mobs were headed to Castrojerez/Fromista/Carrion (etc.).

 

[Bradypus]

I see that you are resisting providing the actual numbers to enable the comparison between 2019 and this year for starts from SJPdP, why is that?

The actual numbers are available in the Facebook post I linked in the first post of the thread. I simply stated that the SJPDP first-quarter figures for 2019 and 2023 are very similar because the difference is barely significant: for 2019 the first-quarter total was 2569 and in 2023 it was 2506. But there is a large difference in both cases from the 2022 total of 1673.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

The actual numbers are available in the Facebook post I linked in the first post of the thread. I simply stated that the SJPDP first-quarter figures for 2019 and 2023 are very similar because the difference is barely significant: for 2019 the first-quarter total was 2569 and in 2023 it was 2506. But there is a large difference in both cases from the 2022 total of 1673.

And from this we can see that there is no big deal.

I walked during Spring 2019, didn't make reservations after the first day at St. Jean and apart from a bit of a queue at Roncesvalles and Zubiri there were no huge mobs of people even though there were good numbers and I got walk up accommodation at both places.

The Camino Frances has capacity to deal with these numbers, no need for thread headlines about the sky falling.

I think that what we should be highlighting for new pilgrims is that things seem to have returned to normal. Assuming that the relatively static numbers between 2016 and 2019 are normal.

Pilgrims who walked in 2021 and 2022 were very lucky to have experienced the Frances as it may have been ten years ago but that doesn't mean that this year's numbers are anything unusual or that they need worrying about.

 

[Bradypus]

The Camino Frances has capacity to deal with these numbers, no need for thread headlines about the sky falling.

You seem to be reading far more into the thread headline and my initial post than is actually there. All it says is that there has been an significant increase in numbers recorded by the SJPDP office so far this year compared with the same period last year. No more, no less.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

You seem to be reading far more into the thread headline and my initial post than is actually there. All it says is that there has been an significant increase in numbers recorded by the SJPDP office so far this year compared with the same period last year. No more, no less.

Thanks.

For experienced pilgrims that might be so but for first timers your headline suggests that this is something unusual and we can see this because this is one of the most read threads in recent time.

How more useful it would have been to say "Latest numbers for the Eastern end of the Frances seem to indicate that pilgrim numbers have returned to 2019 numbers (pre Covid)"

 

[JabbaPapa]

An article this afternoon from La Voz de Galicia is reporting an increase on the same scale in the numbers recorded arriving in Santiago. So the same story being told today at both ends of the Frances.

El Camino no se cansa de batir récords: crece un 32 % el número de peregrinos que llegaron a Santiago de enero a marzo

Más de 16.300 personas hicieron la ruta jacobea durante el primer trimestre de 2023, unas 5.300 más que en el mismo período del año anterior, que fue el de mayor afluencia en la historia del Xacobeo

www.lavozdegalicia.es

Half and half Spaniards or otherwise ; the former mostly young.

Half on the Francès, about a 30% on the Português or the Português de la Costa, the others scattered around several other routes.

37% starting in Sarria ; around 3% in SJPP -- though the latter low stat is likely seasonal. Porto, Tui, and Ferrol are the most popular starting spots after Sarria.

 

[ilbestro12]

Is there any data on how many albeurges closed and did not reopen due to covid? I wondered if that could effect capacity but have only heard anecdotes of places closing for good after the economic hardship of covid.

 

[JabbaPapa]

For comparison :

https://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/prensa/verprensa.asp?PrensaID=19437

33,329 pilgrims passed through León in 2022. Peak number was 2017, and 55,108 pilgrims.

These numbers are probably about indicative of how many walk the Francès each year, though they do not include those who stay at León in a hotel, airBnB or whatever -- including those doing it in multi-year stages, not getting their Compostela, and so on.

 

[A Kerryman]

And from this we can see that there is no big deal.

I walked during Spring 2019, didn't make reservations after the first day at St. Jean and apart from a bit of a queue at Roncesvalles and Zubiri there were no huge mobs of people even though there were good numbers and I got walk up accommodation at both places.

The Camino Frances has capacity to deal with these numbers, no need for thread headlines about the sky falling.

I think that what we should be highlighting for new pilgrims is that things seem to have returned to normal. Assuming that the relatively static numbers between 2016 and 2019 are normal.

Pilgrims who walked in 2021 and 2022 were very lucky to have experienced the Frances as it may have been ten years ago but that doesn't mean that this year's numbers are anything unusual or that they need worrying about.

It’s worth noting since you last walked in 2019 that a good number of Albergues have either closed for good or had not re opened in 2022 , I also walked in 2019 but returned in 21 and 22.
It’s bed shortages that cause the panic with rumours reaching back to walkers several days back

 

[JabbaPapa]

And Easter week this year :

https://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/prensa/verprensa.asp?PrensaID=19439

12,000+ pilgrims at Sarria over the week.

Thursday was the biggest single day at Santiago, over 20,000 pilgrims passing through the Pilgrims Office on Holy Thursday.

 

[Bradypus]

Thursday was the biggest single day at Santiago, over 20,000 pilgrims passing through the Pilgrims Office on Holy Thursday.

I think there might be an extra zero in that figure. Last Thursday the pilgrim office recorded 2,231. And it would be hard to see how the week's total could be 12,000 if one day alone was 20,000!

According to the pilgrim office statistics page there have been 16,471 Compostelas so far this month, with 6,412 of those going to people who began their walk in Sarria.

 

[JabbaPapa]

I think there might be an extra zero in that figure. Last Thursday the pilgrim office recorded 2,231. And it would be hard to see how the week's total could be 12,000 if one day alone was 20,000!

According to the pilgrim office statistics page there have been 16,471 Compostelas so far this month, with 6,412 of those going to people who began their walk in Sarria.

Guess you're right.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Reports on stat analyses seem to be breeding like rabbits.

Another one : https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/notic...NNFVdUI40CF7Au4d_oZly-kmInXk0PTFc58vV9Kko9gL4

Comparing first three months of 2023 with Jan. - Mar. 2003 --

Pilgrims under 18 up from 11.5% to 22%, and those over 65 up from 3% to 6%.

Peregrinas up from 31% to 47.7%.

Those with no religious motivation up from 5.6% to ~20% -- so here's yet another claim as to that.

The Francès is down from 88% of routes followed to 54%. Portuguese Way(s) 31%. As to the Inglés and the Primitivo, up from about 10 people in 2003 to 800 (Inglés) and 460 (Primitivo).

The article suggests that the Camino is becoming less seasonal, apart from the lull between November and March, especially as far as the Português and the VDLP are concerned ; which should be useful information to those among us in here providing input to newer pilgrims wondering about more or less crowded periods.

I think there might be an extra zero in that figure. Last Thursday the pilgrim office recorded 2,231. And it would be hard to see how the week's total could be 12,000 if one day alone was 20,000!

According to the pilgrim office statistics page there have been 16,471 Compostelas so far this month, with 6,412 of those going to people who began their walk in Sarria.

The article confirms this, though it gives 11,740 instead because it was published on the 10th, and gives some other stats up to the 8th, and one for the 9th :

Así, el Sábado Santo se entregaron en la Oficina de Atención al Peregrino 2.561 compostelas y ayer fueron 2.277, que se suman a 11.740 desde que comenzó abril, por lo que este puente se cerró con más de 14.000 documentos acreditativos sellados en la sede de Carretas.

The 11,740 and 14,000 numbers are confusing.

But they conclude that more pilgrims arrived in the Easter 2023 period than the combined Holy Year Easter periods 2021 & 2022.

40% starting in Sarria, 10% in Tui.

In the Easter period, those with only a religious motivation were 28.5% and those with no religious motivation at all were 31% -- compared to the general stat of no religious motivation of 20% over the first three months of 2023. Which I suppose says something about winter pilgrims being more religious than most.

 

[Bradypus]

Peregrinas up from 31% to 47.7%.

That trend caught my eye too. On the pilgrim office statistics page in the running total for the year so far women are now slightly out numbering men - 51.56% female to 48.54% male. The earliest statistics on the website are from 2003 and in that year the proportions were 60.59% male and 39.41% female. I can find no similar data for the time of my first Camino in 1990 but my impression then was that the great majority of pilgrims were men with perhaps a 2:1 ratio.

 

[Jakobsvejen.dk]

Statistics 1990:
Number of Pilgrims: 4.918; Male 3.267; Female: 1.634; Not specified: 17

 

[Bradypus]

Statistics 1990:
Number of Pilgrims: 4.918; Male 3.267; Female: 1.634; Not specified: 17

Thanks! Could you tell me the source of the numbers?

 

[Jakobsvejen.dk]

Thanks! Could you tell me the source of the numbers?

I would very much like to do that. The information is taken from the German website: http://www.jakobus-info.de/ (Wir pilgern auf dem Jakobsweg) . It is - probably - one of the oldest pilgrimage websites. It is the German pilgrim couple; Thekla Schrange (died 2012 ) and Aloys Schäfer, who started editing "Wir Pilgern auf Dem Jakobsweg" more than 25 years ago

Buen Camino, Pax et Bonum

Poul Erik Magnussen

 

[Kathor1]

I saw this thread from 2023 by chance today. I don't think that these numbers have ever been posted in a forum thread so I took the liberty to copy-paste the relevant part of the table from http://www.jakobus-info.de/ here. These are statistical data for the years 1989 to 2002. The data on the statistics webpage of the Pilgrim Office in Santiago start with the year 2003. With thanks to @Jakobsvejen.dk for the link.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

So basically at busy times we now have more arriving in a day than arrived in the entire month of August in 1989. Or more in 2 - 3 days than arrived in the entire year.
Wow

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

The two increases for the holy years of 93 and 99 were huge, with similarly large jumps in 04 and 2010.
I realise that covid threw everything out for 21/22, so that it's not really a viable comparison.

The overall numbers nowadays are significantly higher than the earlier days so the percentage of increase becomes significantly less; nevertheless an extra 90 to 125,000 people walking in a year is pretty significant.

Based on that, I'm not entirely sure that I want to walk in 2027 !

Guess the bonus for anyone that does is that there will be one less Pilgrim walking....

 

[David Tallan]

So basically at busy times we now have more arriving in a day than arrived in the entire month of August in 1989. Or more in 2 - 3 days than arrived in the entire year.
Wow

I have definitely been noticing that. Also interesting how much more 1989 has than 1990. I was going to say especially in March, but that might be because Easter was in March.

 

[domigee]

Thus, and logically, the easiest way to spread the traffic - to me at least - is to do something to make the other routes similarly desirable.

Noooooo please!!! ;-)

 

[trecile]

Here are the latest statistics through September from the pilgrim office in St Jean Pied de Port

 

[VNwalking]

This just needs to happen. Once potential pilgrims realize the significance of he other Camino routes, the use of these routes will follow.

Does it?

 

[t2andreo]

Does it?

I think yes.

 

[t2andreo]

Noooooo please!!! ;-)

I understand your position. But consider that, each year, other "want to be approved as official Camino routes" localities make application to the appropriate authorities for accession to the "officially sanctioned" Camino de Santiago.

Once this accession happens, there are a few additional Camino routes each year. it does not happen every year, but it does occur with some regularity. As more and more routes are approved and developed, the pilgrim traffic can spread out, instead of being concentrated, as it tends towards now.

I have always feared that, keeping the number of approved routes constrained, would invariably lead to development of more and more services, until the most popular routes become "Disneyfied."

This infers commercialization to such an extent that original purposes and ambiance of a Camino is lost forever - drowned in a sea of chain hotels and tacky souvenir places. Then, walking a Camino becomes like walking across a huge amusement park, with the occasional historical site to see and photograph.

I fear that "Disneyfication "worse than route proliferation and spreading the total pilgrim traffic out across more routes. In my experience and opinion, what would eventually "kill" the Camino de Santiago, I think, would be taming all the wild, rural, mysterious and historical context out of it. Then if become like a figurative "walk in the park."

Hope this helps the dialog.

Tom

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

@t2andreo, I tend to agree. Frankly I believe the spoiling of the camino has already started with the paving of vast tracts in Galacia, and unlike the rest of you on this thread I am a newcomer. Most of you must have seen many changes, not always for the better.

 

[David Tallan]

In my experience and opinion, what would eventually "kill" the Camino de Santiago, I think, would be taming all the wild, rural, mysterious and historical context out of it. Then if become like a figurative "walk in the park."

I think the Camino is a lot more resilient than you are giving it credit for being. It has survived wars and plagues, the Reformation, the loss of the relics. It has been here for over a thousand years. I don't think it is in any real danger of dying.

Nor do I think a walk of at least a hundred kilometers (generally hundreds, for those who catch the bug) is at significant risk of becoming "a walk in the park".