The Way of Sant James

• 'Today we have received great news for Galicians, for Europeans and for the world.'
• The Camino now has a comprehensive strategy for improving the experience of pilgrims – the Master Plan – and work is being done to improve assets of cultural interest along the pilgrimage routes and to refurbish the cathedral
• Preparing for Xacobeo 2021 is one of the key goals of this legislature
• Tourism figures released this week confirm that the industry is doing well, setting new records for travellers and overnight stays
  As of 1 November of this year, 22,553 more pilgrims have reached Galicia than in the same period last year, representing an 8.38% increase

Santiago de Compostela, 3 November 2017

The president of the Galician government, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, praised the international recognition of the Codex Calixtinus today, stating that it facilitates preservation of the document and universal access.

During the event celebrating the inclusion of the document in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register, Feijóo commented that with this recognition, the codex, which contains the core of the Way of St. James, joins the most important documents in the history of humanity. 'Today we have received great news for Galicians, for Europeans and for the world,' he stressed.

He emphasized that this universal book is now part of a select group which only includes another ten documents in Spain, most notably: Beatus of Liébana; the legacy of Ramón y Cajal; the Capitulations of Santa Fe; the Treaty of Tordesillas; and the Decreta of León.

The president of the Xunta stated that Galicia will continue to promote one of the treasures of its heritage and tourist appeal: the pilgrimage routes to Santiago. He noted that the Camino now has a comprehensive strategy for improving the experience of pilgrims – the Master Plan – and that work is being done to improve assets of cultural interest along the pilgrimage routes and to completely refurbish the cathedral.

Preparing for Xacobeo 2021, one of the key goals of this legislature

This is in addition to a key initiative for the Galician government during this legislature, preparations for the upcoming Holy Year, Xacobeo 2021. 'This will enable the Camino to enjoy better promotion and be better organized,' he said.

The head of the Galician government concluded by mentioning the tourism figures released this week, which confirm that the industry is doing well. The region is setting new records for travellers, up 2%, and another new record for overnight stays, which rose 6%. There was a 4% increase in the average tourist stay, which fell 2% in Spain as a whole. And most importantly, there was a considerable increase in international tourism, with visitors up by 6.5% and overnight stays by almost 10%.

This has a major impact on the Way of St. James. And so it is not surprising that as of 1 November of this year, 22,553 more pilgrims have reached Galicia than in the same period last year, representing an 8.38% increase.