The Way of Sant James

• “We want tourists to come and visit us because we are a welcoming people”, he stated.
• He reminded us that last year was “the best historical year of the Caminos”, in the months since the start of 2017, Galicia has welcomed 9% more pilgrims than n 2016
• Generally speaking, he specifies that the first half year of this year was the best in history for tourism in Galicia, with nearly 1.8 million travellers accommodated in hotels.
• He sustained that places such as A Fonsagrada can attract a traveller interested in the natural and historical heritage.
• As regards the new hostel, he pointed out that this infrastructure was created in order to boost the Camino Primitivo and he reminded us that, in the last 10 years, the number of pilgrims on this route has multiplied by four, reaching 12,100 last year.

A Fonsagrada (Lugo), August 7, 2017

The President of the Autonomous Community Executive, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, today referred to the choice to improve services of the Camino Primitivo as an example of the commitment to diversify the Caminos de Santiago and transform Galicia into a peaceful, welcoming destination open to the world. “We want tourists t come and visit us because we are a welcoming people”, he stated, reminding us that, if last year was “the best historical year of the Caminos”, In the months since the start of 2017, Galicia has already welcomed 9% more pilgrims than in 2016. “This supposes an average of 1,000 pilgrims per day and also means that this year we can we can again achieve a new historical record of pilgrims”, he added.

Furthermore, he specified that, generally speaking, the first half year of this year was the best in history for tourism in Galicia, with almost 1.8 million travellers accommodated in hotels in the Community. A merit, he stated, which not only corresponded to Santiago or the coast, but also to the interior of Galicia and the mountain areas.

Along these lines, he pointed out that places such as A Fonsagrada can attract travellers with an interest in the natural and historical heritage, and contribute to consolidating Galicia as a peaceful touristic destination.

With regard to the new hostel, Feijóo underlined the fact that this infrastructure, which arose in order to boost the Camino Primitivo, will suppose a substantial boost for the locality as it recuperates Casa Pasarín, one of the most emblematic buildings in this town, for the neighbourhood, and because these new installations will make it possible to increase the capacity of accommodation for pilgrims, therefore it has much touristic attraction.

Considering the reforms carried out, the levels of the ground and first floors were standardised and part of the west facade was replaced. A part of the south façade was replaced by a gallery and the lighting and ventilation conditions of the interior patios were improved. Improvements to accessibility were incorporated and architectonic components were restored together with the mural paintings of the building while three bedrooms were put in place, where up to 42 pilgrims could rest.

The Xnnta invested a total of €600,000 in the fitting out so as to improve the services of the Camino Primitivo, with a hostel baptised with the name Ramón Rodríguez, a priest of A Fonsagrada who dedicated a large part of his life to making this route and this town known.

Feijóo highlighted the fact that the declaration of the Caminos del Norte and the Camino Primitivo as World Heritage Sites brought an increased interest in travelling the routes. It is not surprising that only in the last 10 years, the number of pilgrims on the Camino Primitivo multiplied by four, reaching 12,100 last year.

Feijóo concluded by stressing that the Government of Galicia is fully committed to the development of this route, “for this reason, the Public Network of Pilgrim Hostels in Galicia now has more than 10 establishments along this route”, he specified.