They are about to 'digitalise' the Camino

[David]

I found this online (translated by Google) - a 1 million Euro investment to 'digitalise' the Camino, including an app to enable one to get the Compostela through one's smartphone .... intending to make Santiago a "smart destination" ...
I must admit that my first thought was "eeeekk" !

"EL CAMINO DE SANTIAGO WILL BECOME INTELLIGENT TOURIST DESTINATION

Sign an agreement intended to digitize the Camino de Santiago.
Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism, José Manuel Soria, and President of the Board of Galicia, Alberto Núñez Feijoo have signed an agreement that will provide wifi to catering establishments, created mobile applications for pilgrims and the Road will be transformed into a smart tourist destination. Is expected to Compostela can be ordered via web.
Agreement signed by the parties to the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, establishes three fields: promoting the development of all types of mobile applications that can be beneficial for pilgrims as part of the walk, wifi network to provide catering establishments of the French way and, finally, the current situation of the Road to Santiago to turn it into a tourist destination smart analyze.
within the aim of promoting the development of mobile applications for pilgrims 'special interest will develop an application that allows to obtain the Compostela through the use of new technology', as said in a statement the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism.
Este Camino de Santiago Smart Smart program is part of Travel Destination, managed by the State Agency for the Management of Tourism Innovation and Technology (SEGITTUR), whose goal is "to improve the ranking of Spain as a world tourist destination, finding new mechanisms to foster innovation at destinations, with the deployment and development of ICTs, so that you can create differential and highly competitive services, "explains SEGITTUR.
The project will have an investment of one million euros, of which 95% will be contributed by the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism and 5% by the Xunta de Galicia, and "adds value" Camino de Santiago, one of the 'main assets that the country "according to the president of the Xunta, Alberto Nunez Feijoo.
President of the Xunta also revealed that "more than 173,000 people have traveled the road in the first eight months of the year, 12% more than in the same period of 2012," ie, that "if nothing happens extraordinary "in this final stretch of 2013, the number of foreign tourists who made the journey in 2012 will be exceeded."


Came from this web page - http://www.mundicamino.com/noticias.cfm#7022 (if you go via Chrome browser it will automatically translate it into your home language)

Anyone have any info on this development????

 

[grayland]

Sounds like the worst announcement I have heard...if it is true.

Maybe these "ministers" should actually walk the CF from May to October and then come up with a way for more pilgrims to find beds.

The last thing needed now is another huge increase in numbers.

 

[ilovelife]

Hmmm. Not really sure what to think about this news. I can see the pluses and minuses but have to admit it doesn't sit well with me. And I still haven't even done the Camino yet.

 

[David]

Yes - also, I find it a little sad that they think, predict, that pilgrims would prefer to miss collecting their Compostela and choose to download one ......

 

[whariwharangi]

Here I thought the point was to leave the cell phone at home ...

A BIG problem will be providing albergues with sufficient electrical outlets. Its already a hazard with the octopus connections as everyone tries to charge batteries for tablets e-books and ipods.

 

[lynnejohn]

I do not like it, but this had to happen given our over-digitized society.

 

[Kanga]

Getting digitalized seems quite in keeping those who wish to "do" The Camino in world record time, on a unicycle, with a pet tiger, dressed as a Druid, or whatever other fanciful notion becomes fashionable.

 

[David]

The horror!

 

[lettinggo]

Well... Maybe it will result in less pilgrims on the Caminos
and more just sitting home printing their compostelas...

 

[Tincatinker]

I have a vision; of digital pilgrims proudly displaying their blister scarred and calloused thumbs, up-loading screen grabs of menu peregrinos and whispering dread tales of an albergue on the meseta without a power outlet.....

 

[ivar]

In 2009 I was working full time for Xacobeo, preparing for the holy year in 2010. I can't tell you how many proposals I read that included things like this.

Is expected to Compostela can be ordered via web.

and

'special interest will develop an application that allows to obtain the Compostela through the use of new technology'

I can not talk on behalf of the pilgrims office (that issues compostelas), but I am quite sure that they have not been informed of this. And that, when the IT guy at this company contacts them regarding "how should we implement this". He will not get a response, and this will not happen. These are things you put in a proposal to make it sound good so that your proposal gets approved.

My bet: it will not happen... don't worry.

Greetings from Santiago,
Ivar

 

[fraluchi]

[...] These are things you put in a proposal to make it sound good so that your proposal gets approved. My bet: it will not happen... don't worry. Greetings from Santiago, Ivar

Fancy all the "likes" to be collected by the IT provider, both boosting egos and bank accounts. The next "idea" to be "financed" might be drones to "protect" hikers (pilgrims a dying race?) along the various Caminos.
They'd better not use Google translate, lest our iPods, iPads, iPhones and tablets get scrambled and die before arrival at the Pilgrims' Office.
Like David wrote (above): The horror!

 

[t2andreo]

There goes the neighborhood!

While we all try not to pass judgement on, or criticize our fellow peregrinos, I submit we can all agree that this is not a completely good thing. Perhaps bringing together all the various resource information to one central web site might be a good thing, especially if it was available in many languages and organized logically. However, this can be taken too far. The story David relates above suggests that the less "good" outcome is being sought.

Sometimes, doing nothing is a good option...

 

[Hephsi]

nguage)

Anyone have any info on this development????[/quote]
" EeeeK!" Yes and "Yeuch!" Oh My! Horrors!" Nightmare scenario...or am I being tunnel visioned and selfish?

 

[Rebekah Scott]

As if there weren´t enough "smart" pilgs walking down the trail, glued to little screens in their hands, or plugged into earphones -- or bikers stopping dead in the middle of intersections to stare into a screen or talk to a device, and swearing at the drivers who must swerve to miss them!

I know "everybody walks his own camino." Some of them walk a Virtual Camino, even as they walk the real one. The Officials are just trying to make it easy and appealing for wealthy tourists/pilgrims to come to Spain and spend money.

But we must not judge now, should we?

 

[obinjatoo]

Maybe they could "digitalize" the walk and then I can get a "digital" compostela and never have to leave the comfort of my living room. Ha ha ha ha ha...

 

[newfydog]

If this contiues we'll have Pilgrims on the internet discussing their trips.......oh wait, never mind

 

[TheTinkerBell]

My reading of this is that the funds are earmarked only for Galicia, not the entire Camino Frances. Some cafes/bars will have wifi, so what? Remember that the locals will benefit greatly from this technology too. For sure, the digital version of the Compostela will never materialise, so I think we're overreacting here (just a little!).

 

[wayfarer]

Yes - also, I find it a little sad that they think, predict, that pilgrims would prefer to miss collecting their Compostela and choose to download one ......

I wish I could download a cafe con leche and a bocadillo right now. Mmmmm............

 

[alexwalker]

Quote by the author of "1984", George Orwell (using my poor memory):

" The day when we communicate more with machines than with each other will be the beginning of the end of us".

 

[alexwalker]

Maybe they could "digitalize" the walk and then I can get a "digital" compostela and never have to leave the comfort of my living room. Ha ha ha ha ha...

Try "Street view" in Google Earth... The future is here...

 

[David]

I suppose cctv cameras all along the Camino to "protect" us will come next ... a bar code on our credentials so that we can be tracked and the pilgrim office (or the online equivalent) will know who we are, where we stayed, how many pilgrim meals we had, before we even say hello!

and re George Orwell .. this is a nice piece of irony ...... (and it isn't photoshopped, the camera is really there!!)

 

[alexwalker]

And WHAT an irony, David!!!

 

[Tincatinker]

I would like to think that someone in the "security" department of the local council had a well developed sense of irony, but I doubt it, somehow doubt triumphs over hope.

 

[Kathy F.]

Thanks, Ivar, for allaying our fears.

 

[JennyH94]

I suppose cctv cameras all along the Camino to "protect" us will come next ... a bar code on our credentials so that we can be tracked and the pilgrim office (or the online equivalent) will know who we are, where we stayed, how many pilgrim meals we had, before we even say hello!

and re George Orwell .. this is a nice piece of irony ...... (and it isn't photoshopped, the camera is really there!!)

View attachment 8283

Hi David - was the photo taken in 1984 ???

 

[whariwharangi]

Quote by the author of "1984", George Orwell (using my poor memory):

" The day when we communicate more with machines than with each other will be the beginning of the end of us".

Substitute Rockets for Terrorists.

And as for doublespeak ...

I note this forum has targetted advertising too ... its not just big brother watching.

 

[alexwalker]

Substitute Rockets for Terrorists.

And as for doublespeak ...

I note this forum has targetted advertising too ... its not just big brother watching.

I do not get your "Substitute Rockets for Terrorists": What do you mean?

As for advertising: You see ads only because you are using this forum without any personal costs. This forum is completely free of charge for you to use. But there are costs related to running a forum, or any website, for that matter. F.ex.: I have been running my own website for 10 years: It is free to use, but the income from ads keeps it running. That is what the owner of this forum is also trying to achieve, for the benefit of all of us.

Instead of using this forum completely for free, you can donate a small sum and all ads will disappear. As a true, old-fashioned miracle. Given a fairly reasonable donation, you will even receice a nice forum badge by snailmail, to place on your backpack. Nice for connecting with others while on the Way. By doing this, you also help support and keeping alive a place you like to visit and enjoy, and it is ad-free This is not quite "1984" and doublespeak

 

[whariwharangi]

I do not get your "Substitute Rockets for Terrorists": What do you mean?

As for advertising: You see ads only because you are using this forum without any personal costs. This forum is completely free of charge for you to use. But there are costs related to running a forum, or any website, for that matter. F.ex.: I have been running my own website for 10 years: It is free to use, but the income from ads keeps it running. That is what the owner of this forum is also trying to achieve, for the benefit of all of us.

Instead of using this forum completely for free, you can donate a small sum and all ads will disappear. As a true, old-fashioned miracle. Given a fairly reasonable donation, you will even receice a nice forum badge by snailmail, to place on your backpack. Nice for connecting with others while on the Way. By doing this, you also help support and keeping alive a place you like to visit and enjoy, and it is ad-free This is not quite "1984" and doublespeak

Its been a while since I read 1984 ... As I recall it there were three major governments at odds with each other. Every now and again there would be rockets, the origin of which was never clear, intended to keep the population engaged in and supportive of 'the war' as a means of keeping them distracted from the real issues and to provide justification to be dishonest about actions regarding the real issues.

Terrorist acts remind me of this. We are told Bin Laden for instance is (was) public enemy number one. I don't believe he was the one who did it and I don't believe either he or the person I suspect (the deceased Imad Mugniyeh for example makes a much better suspect) is the controlling authority. And it matters nought. What does matter is the resulting overweening security at airports and the erosion of our freedoms in the name of 'security'. Just as with the rockets, the real winner in the war on terror is big brother.

As for the advertising ... this site (and others such as facebook) collects information about me and my browsing habits. Just like big Brother. Thats why I get advertising that the idiots think will be of interest to me from business that is local (ie Canadian banks instead of Spanish banks) Its idiotic because there is no advertising of interest: its a waste of my time and advertising is ignored as much as the flickering crap can be ignored. I'm sure the advertising would go away if I donated but I seriously doubt the collection of information would stop.

 

[colinPeter]

Sad Eh! Some people just don't get it, like the "virtual" candles in the cathedral.
Still you usually have to find the good things of the world, before "they" start to improve it for "you".
I envy those who walked the Frances say 10-15 years ago, but at least there were no virtual candles in 2009.
But hey, I'll probably walk it again and try not to grumble to much about the way it used to be.
Buen Camino
Colin

 

[Kathy F.]

Does this mean only intelligent tourists will be able to walk the Camino????
Uh oh.