If the above story is correct, that renovations will force the Pilgrim Mass to be held at the Church of St. Francisco, just down the side street to the north, and without the botafumeiro, a big UH-OH is called for.
If verified, and once word gets out, tourist dollars, and cameras, will not come...at least until we return to the status quo ante. Except for tours and visits already paid for, and which could not be changed, I see people choosing not to come to Santiago until after the Cathedral renovations are over. This is a normal expectation for a non-pilgrim. Pilgrims will come anyway. At least that is what I believe.
On the one hand, this is a right inconvenience for some pilgrims who planned their Caminos for a long time, and cannot see the botafumeiro fly, in-person. Yes, you can easily see it on You Tube. But, seeing it, in real time, at least once, is a life-affecting experience, at least IMHO.
On the other hand, this might be a good sampling and proof to the somewhat hostile local government of the value of the
Camino de Santiago and the entire cult of Santiago to the city and its economy. Over my five years visiting and working there as a volunteer I frequently got the impression that, while the province of Coruna and the Galician region well understood the deep value of this presence to the city's history and commercial value, the local concello did not. In fact, it sometimes appeared as though the city administration took everything Camino-related for granted.
Now, we shall see...