Pilgrim statistics June and July 2016

[Deleted member 3000]

The number of pilgrims in June 2016 was 3,155 more than last year, and 5,322 more than the Holy Year in 2010. If the two-day average for July holds, July will be about 5,000 more than last year and about 7,000 more than the Holy Year.

I suggest adjusting bed-finding strategies accordingly!

 

[Michael Garver]

The number of pilgrims in June 2016 was 3,155 more than last year, and 5,322 more than the Holy Year in 2010. If the two-day average for July holds, July will be about 5,000 more than last year and about 7,000 more than the Holy Year.

I suggest adjusting bed-finding strategies accordingly!

With the increase will the Camino simply become another tourist attraction - not a pilgrimage of 1000 years ago. The sheer volume has to dilute the experience . Is there a road less traveled - for solitude and self reflection?

 

[SYates]

With the increase will the Camino simply become another tourist attraction - not a pilgrimage of 1000 years ago. The sheer volume has to dilute the experience . Is there a road less traveled - for solitude and self reflection?

Actually, and by percentage of the overall population, 1000 years ago there were by far more pilgrims on the road than today ;-) Pilgrimage roads less traveled? Rome, Assisi, Jerusalem, Trier - plenty, but with less infrastructure also ... Buen Camino, SY

 

[Shauna]

How does the Portuguese camino compare I wonder?

 

[Castilian]

Is there a road less traveled - for solitude and self reflection?

There are many caminos to Santiago; not just the Francés. The Sanabrés is way less busier (see data for the Vía de la Plata on the link below, at the bottom of my post). And you can reach the Sanabrés from caminos with barely any pilgrim like the Camino del Sureste or the Camino de Levante from where you can continue on the Camino Portugués de la Vía de la Plata to join the Sanabrés later tan if you reach it from the Camino del Sureste or the Vía de la Plata.

You can also walk caminos heading to Santiago ending before reaching Santiago. For example, you can walk the Camí Catalá through Zaragoza ending at the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar in Zaragoza or you could continue from Zaragoza on the ruta del Ebro till Gallur where you would continue on the Camino Castellano-Aragonés till Santo Domingo de Silos where you could end your pilgrimage. Or you could walk to Santo Domingo de Silos following the Ruta de la Lana...

You have other pilgrim routes in Spain like the Camino(s) Lebaniego(s) (www.caminolebaniego.com), the Camino de San Olav (www.caminodesanolav.es), the Caminos del Santo Grial (www.reman.es/camino-santo-caliz-grial and www.elcaminodelsantogrial.com/intro.html), the Camino Ignaciano (http://caminoignaciano.org), the Caminos to Caravaca de la Cruz (www.peregrinoacaravaca.com/Caminos/caminos.htm) the Caminos to Guadalupe (http://caminosaguadalupe.com)...

And, of course, you have pilgrim routes out of Spain. @SYates quoted some of them on a post above.

How does the Portuguese camino compare I wonder?

The Portugués is the second on the busier list after the Francés but well behing it. You can consult data at: http://oficinadelperegrino.com/estadisticas (scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find data of pilgrims by camino followed in the last month. If you want to see other month or year, you can select it at the top of the page).

 

[Deleted member 3000]

How does the Portuguese camino compare I wonder?

Since 2004 the number of pilgrims on the Camino Portugues has increased five fold. I am not sure the infrastructure has grown accordingly. It only has 1/4th the number of pilgrims as the Camino Frances, but 6,908 in June is over 200 per day, far exceeding the capacity of the albergues.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Since 2004 the number of pilgrims on the Camino Portugues has increased five fold. I am not sure the infrastructure has grown accordingly. It only has 1/4th the number of pilgrims as the Camino Frances, but 6,908 in June is over 200 per day, far exceeding the capacity of the albergues.

200 per day?! So glad I wentin May as I do not want to imagine tne bed race.

As to Michael Garver's question above, the Camino is not becoming just another tourist attraction, this has been going on for a few years. On the Frances it's for the fun, on the other routes in Spain for the mountaneering/long distance walking. Very little introspection going on these days. But if you want to dig deep, create a bubble around yourself, you can make it what you want it be.

 

[Mike Trebert]

I'm going to have a look at The Via Francigena - next spring I hope. Less infrastructure = more solitude. I walked the C Frances in April for the first time. It was wonderful, but more crowded than I expected, lots of bicycles, I wondered what it would be like in July.

 

[ortemio]

For solitude and introspection ...
Camino de Madrid was full of history and solitude, lots of open space, I went several days without a soul in sight. The albergues were clean and the food fair. ( good food in Segovia , yum ) . There is one tall, steep mountain before Segovia that was a challenge. When you hit Camino Frances in Sahagun take a train hop to Leon and take Camino Salvador, wow that is a camino. Views, country and solitude, lots of goats, several long stretches of road work. Oviedo is the goal. By the way you get a ( Compostela ) diploma for Camino de Madrid and another for Camino Salvador.
Buen camino

 

[musicman]

I'm going to have a look at The Via Francigena - next spring I hope. Less infrastructure = more solitude. I walked the C Frances in April for the first time. It was wonderful, but more crowded than I expected, lots of bicycles, I wondered what it would be like in July.

Make sure you remortgage your house for the accommodation costta in France, Switzerland & Italy !

 

[IngridF]

It depends how you look at everything. I can be in total solitude within a huge crowd...or I can be part of it all or somewhere in between.
Each of us have the freedom to decide how we create our day.
No one else should have that power. It is mine.

Buen Camino

 

[Mike Trebert]

Make sure you remortgage your house for the accommodation costta in France, Switzerland & Italy !

I should have clarified - I'm (hopefully) only walking from Miniato (near Florence) to Rome. 400kms. I've never been to Italy. The full Camino Frances this year was way long enough for me for a while and yes, I'm concerned about the costs in Italy. I'm getting a quote from Sloways which sounds good so far, and would stay Airbnb in Rome for a week. Stayed Airbnb in Madrid and Paris this year - I'm not impressed with their philosophy and impact on local economies, but I might try them one more time.

So far, I can't afford next year's trip, but I couldn't afford this year's either when I started to book it all.

 

[mspath]

Mike Trebert,

For affordable and very pleasant accommodation in Rome check out The Beehive.

Happy planning!

 

[Mike Trebert]

Mike Trebert,

For affordable and very pleasant accommodation in Rome check out The Beehive.

Happy planning!

Thanks Mspath, Looks very nice and cheaper than the Airbnb apartment I'd found. I've just emailed them.

Mike

 

[NeeT]

I am on that Camino Frances now (started on 25th June) and have never had a bed problem, even after arriving past 6pm on a couple of days! I just think don't worry or stress; there is always a solution

 

[mspath]

Thanks Mspath, Looks very nice and cheaper than the Airbnb apartment I'd found. I've just emailed them.

Mike

Great! Our Paris apts in the 11th arrondissement are listed with them also.

 

[jirit]

Mike Trebert,

For affordable and very pleasant accommodation in Rome check out The Beehive.

Happy planning!

My wife and I stayed at the Beehive during New Years - great location and good prices for Rome

 

[Felipe]

I think the crowding is not a problem by itself (besides the obvious inconveniences). I live in a city where around five million people arrive the 11th and 12th of December to visit the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe sanctuary. I have not heard any complaints about "crowding", even if you need half an hour to walk the last kilometer.
The problems in Compostela, especially in the last 100k, come from other situations. You know them...

 

[DJwalKing]

With the increase will the Camino simply become another tourist attraction - not a pilgrimage of 1000 years ago. The sheer volume has to dilute the experience . Is there a road less traveled - for solitude and self reflection?

I was on the Frances in May and June. Even after Sarria when the pilgrims walking just the last 100K arrived, there were still plenty of times when I was walking completely alone. Not a single other pilgrim in sight. There was more than enough time for solitude and reflection. Don't let the increase discourage you!

 

[MariannaP]

With the increase will the Camino simply become another tourist attraction - not a pilgrimage of 1000 years ago. The sheer volume has to dilute the experience . Is there a road less traveled - for solitude and self reflection?

I'm volunteering in Zamora right now, last night we had ... 3 pilgrims! Some pilgrims were walking for weeks, not meeting anyone else.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

It looks like July will finish with a record number of Compostelas, but just a little above last year's record. The early increase did not sustain itself, so the daily average has increased by only about ten per day. When the month is done, check the Pilgrim Office site for the final numbers.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

July 2016 edged out the previous record July 2015 by about 20 pilgrims per day, a monthly total of 734 to set a new record July of 45,483. The August record is still the 2010 Holy Year with 61,543 Compostelas issued. Last August was 54,796, over 9,000 more than the just completed July 2016. Plan accordingly.

 

[MileHighPair]

I'm volunteering in Zamora right now, last night we had ... 3 pilgrims! Some pilgrims were walking for weeks, not meeting anyone else.

Zamora is on the Via de la Plata, a very hot walk in July/August. We were in Zamora the last week in April, with a very full albergue. It is good information that there are so few folks in the summer, if someone is OK with high temps of 95F and wants to avoid the crowds, the Via de la Plata in the summer would be an option!

 

[MileHighPair]

July 2016 edged out the previous record July 2015 by about 20 pilgrims per day, a monthly total of 734 to set a new record July of 45,483. The August record is still the 2010 Holy Year with 61,543 Compostelas issued. Last August was 54,796, over 9,000 more than the just completed July 2016. Plan accordingly.

Only a 1.6% increase for the month of July, that seems like a smaller increase that would be expected.

 

[fraluchi]

The year-to-date (January - July 2016) percentage increases of all Camino pilgrims, which we became used to over the past years, seem to be slowing down a bit. In total numbers the Frances increased 3% ( vs. 9%, 6%, 12% previous years). The proportions of Foreigners vs. Spanish are increasing (57%). The Caminos Portugues (+ 20%), Norte (+ 11%), Primitivo (+ 7%) and Ingles (+ 16%) outpace the Camino Frances.
The proportion of people walking from Sarria vs the total of Frances pilgrims keeps increasing (not withstanding many grumbles): 40% so far (previous years, resp. 39%, 36%, 33%). Plenty of space on the Camino de Invierno!

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Fraluchi hits the nail on the head - the key figure caminoheads look for is the overall growth rate - it has held steady at around 12% per annum in recent years. Will it slow down?

 

[jirit]

Fraluchi hits the nail on the head - the key figure caminoheads look for is the overall growth rate - it has held steady at around 12% per annum in recent years. Will it slow down?

I think it is too early to say.

September and October could swing significantly higher than last year and push the year to date average up, but maybe not to historical levels

 

[Mckarash]

I just walked part of the Camino Frances from St Jean to Belorado (260k) 16th - 29th July and found it to be the most stress free experience of my life. Not overly busy, you can walk for hours without seeing a soul. No bed race, Albergue beds available in every town and village even on St James day, 25th July. No bedbug encounters. Public transport to and from airports was exceptional and simple to use. Amazingly friendly and helpful locals. A small selection of blisters and a handful of new friends for life. One piece of advice : invest in the best earplugs you can get, some of the snoring was incredible!

 

[domigee]

I just walked part of the Camino Frances from St Jean to Belorado (260k) 16th - 29th July and found it to be the most stress free experience of my life. Not overly busy, you can walk for hours without seeing a soul. No bed race, Albergue beds available in every town and village even on St James day, 25th July. No bedbug encounters. Public transport to and from airports was exceptional and simple to use. Amazingly friendly and helpful locals. A small selection of blisters and a handful of new friends for life. One piece of advice : invest in the best earplugs you can get, some of the snoring was incredible!

I'm in Astorga right now and ditto! But ssshhhhh, let's keep it that way

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Some of this has already been reported but I wanted to post the July statistics in the format that I've done for the last few months.

The pilgrims office recorded 42,472 in July 2010, the last Holy Year. In July 2015 they recorded 44,799 and in July this year (2016) they recorded 45,482.
https://oficinadelperegrino.com/en/statistics/

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Moving on to August, the early numbers show a daily average only 150 per day below the average last year, and the big days are still ahead. They probably will pull the number above last year. The Holy Year in 2010 still holds the August record.

 

[jirit]

Seems to suggest that on a relative percentage basis; less people are starting in SJPdP and less are walking the frances route as compared to other shorter trails.

 

[jirit]

If the percentage increase in the number of people walking the frances route continues to trend lower, (down from 12% to only 3%) this suggests that for at least the frances route, the total annual numbers for 2016 might not exceed the numbers for 2015!

Thus my prediction, again at least for the Frances route, that 2015 might be a watershed year might come true.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

August 2016 is shaping up to be bigger than August 2015, though August 2010 is likely to continue to hold the record. Only April of 2015 has exceeded the 2016 numbers, and that was because of the calendar placement of Easter. I will bet that 2016 exceeds 2015.

 

[Pelegrin]

The Frances global percentage in 2015 was 65,61% and in July 2016 was 61,06%, whereas the other Caminos increased their percentage, so maybe there is a pilgrim movement from the Francés to other Caminos at least in summer.

 

[SYates]

Which would be great for the poor, over-walked Camino Frances! Many ways lead to --- Santiago ;-)
Buen Camino, SY

 

[Deleted member 3000]

so maybe there is a pilgrim movement from the Francés to other Caminos at least in summer.

Overall, 10,212 more pilgrims walked the Camino Frances in 2015 than 2014, so there was still plenty of growth on it. Repeat pilgrims may be trying other routes to avoid crowding.

 

[SYates]

But they still would appear in the overall figure ;-) SY

 

[SafariGirl]

Actually, and by percentage of the overall population, 1000 years ago there were by far more pilgrims on the road than today ;-) Pilgrimage roads less traveled? Rome, Assisi, Jerusalem, Trier - plenty, but with less infrastructure also ... Buen Camino, SY

Wise words S Yates...as usual

 

[Deleted member 3000]

August 2016 will beat August 2015 by about 1,000 pilgrims, but it will not even come close to the Holy Year in 2010. Checking reservation availability in September for the major stops in the last 100 km, and most private accommodations are fully booked. Albergue drop-ins may be available, but it looks busy!

 

[jirit]

August 2016 will beat August 2015 by about 1,000 pilgrims, but it will not even come close to the Holy Year in 2010. Checking reservation availability in September for the major stops in the last 100 km, and most private accommodations are fully booked. Albergue drop-ins may be available, but it looks busy!

If I understand correctly then the percentage change per month year over year is shrinking with each passing month? In other words if memory serves me well the percentage change for each month comparing 2016 to 2015 was higher at the beginning of year but since mid year, it has fallen sharply ? If so, does this suggest that for following months ( September through to December ), the change might be a decline for this year as compared to last year ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the change might be a decline for this year as compared to last year ?

Maybe, unless the people avoiding August decide to walk in September and October!! Booking.com has no hotel vacancies in the last 100 km for most of September. That is not a good omen.

 

[jirit]

Maybe, unless the people avoiding August decide to walk in September and October!! Booking.com has no hotel vacancies in the last 100 km for most of September. That is not a good omen.

The issue with booking.com is that people book with it and then later cancel. Therefore places can appear to be booked out in the future ( ie September), but nearer to the date, the vacancy level jumps.

 

[mspath]

The issue with booking.com is that people book with it and then later cancel. Therefore places can appear to be booked out in the future ( ie September), but nearer to the date, the vacancy level jumps.

This is so true. Furthermore
it is always worth checking prices directly with an accommodation listed by any booking service! Such accommodation pays a fee to that service and thus their stated price on that service link reflects that fee. All rooms are not always listed with any service. Thus for the lowest price and possible availabilty find the accommodation website or telephone and ask directly.
Caveat emptor!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

the vacancy level jumps.

I am hoping!!

 

[fraluchi]

MsPath gives a good advice. Hotels also tend to show "full" during guaranteed busy times when they know to be able and fill up without paying commission to a reservation service.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The last days of August have fallen short of the daily average, so 2016 is not likely to beat 2015.

 

[jirit]

The last days of August have fallen short of the daily average, so 2016 is not likely to beat 2015.

You mean just for the month of August ?

Year to date 2016 as compared to 2015 is still positive ?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Year to date 2016 as compared to 2015 is still positive ?

So far.

 

[jirit]

I did quick napkin calculation last night, and I concluded that the year to date numbers for 2016 were about 4 percent higher than 2015.

However if September and October monthly numbers are sharply lower than last year, as it appears August will be, then 2016 might barely exceed 2015.

 

[stevenjarvis]

Maybe, unless the people avoiding August decide to walk in September and October!! Booking.com has no hotel vacancies in the last 100 km for most of September. That is not a good omen.

Unless you are an existing operator or accommodation developer .

 

[Deleted member 3000]

August fell 1,000 short of last year, and 8,000 short of 2010, the record year (and a Holy Year). It will be interesting to watch September and October to see if there is an increase from last year.

 

[fraluchi]

Pilgrim arrival statistics – August 2016

During August 2016 53’712 pilgrims arrived in Santiago, which represents a decrease of approx. 1’000 compared to August last year.

Year-to-date there were 200’259 arrivals, showing an overall increase of 4% compared to 2015 (192’159). Nationals represented 48 % and their numbers were practically unchanged compared to last year. Foreign pilgrim numbers increased by 8%.

125’526 pilgrims walked the Camino Francés this year, an increase of 1% compared to 2015.They represent 63% of the total arrivals in Santiago. There is a clear tendency towards walking shorter distances: 52’541 had started in Sarria; 2’300 more than during the same period in 2015. From a financial point of view, this would indicate that the average “length of walk” has substantially diminished individual spending.

37’438 walked the Camino Portugués this year, an increase of 16% compared to 2015. Just under 1/3 (11’232) started in Tui (+ 3%) and 5’137 in Valenza (+ 18%)

There is a shift within pilgrims’ age groups. Those between 30 and 60 years old represent 55% of all pilgrims. The more than 60 years old increased by 1 percentage point (16% in 2016; 15% in 2015) but the younger than 30 years old keep on decreasing (29% in 2016; 31% in 2015). Elder people often are long distance pilgrims as well (more available time) and usually are higher spenders than the younger counterparts.