All the pilgrims numbers from Santiago January - May 2014

[JohnnieWalker]

And the Americans just keep coming!

Hola from Santiago

So far this year 49,728 pilgrims have registered in Santiago.

In May 27354 pilgrims arrived at the Pilgrims' Office. I have now posted a report on the statistics for the first 5 months of 2014. They make interesting reading.

The number of Americans rose by 43% to over 10,000 last year. Since then numbers have continued to rise – with another rise of 6.6% from January to May 2014.

I have posted the analysis here: http://www.johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com

Best regards

John

 

[alansykes]

Thanks, John, always interesting to see, if perhaps a tiny bit worrying for those of us who love the solitude of the caminos less travelled, but there's room for us all to enjoy it in our different ways.

One thing that does intrigue me is the fact that the Koreans are the most keen on the camino after the Europeans and the anglophone countries. Is there a Korean equivalent of the film The Way?

 

[MichaelSG]

Paulo Coelho's book was translated to Korean a few years ago. That is when it started to become popular with Koreans.

 

[koilife]

I'm curious if anyone is analyzing pilgrim statistics relative to their country size. 2,514 Americans on the various Caminos may be notable relative to many other countries, but considering the US has a population of ~314M, 8 pilgrims per million is not a significant number. When considering Canada with 754 pilgrims from a population of ~34M, and considering Candians face similar travel costs as the US, the Camino is almost three times more pervasive in Canada (22 pilgrims per million).

On the other hand, is Europe ready for the US to triple its presence??? (In Colorado, we have a saying that, in the winter, Texas comes to Colorado to ski, and Colorado goes to hell. No offense meant to any Texans!)

 

[Deleted member 3000]

In the English speaking world, Ireland is first, followed by a closely grouped Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. The UK is next, and the U.S. is a distant sixth with about 1/4 of the pilgrims per capita as the grouped three. That is data from last year, but it is fairly stable at the moment.

 

[jirit]

I am surprised by the drop in the percentage of Spaniards but this might be a more seasonal thing - once July and August rolls by, the percentages will climb again.

 

[jpflavin1]

I do not think the ratio of population to walkers is a relevant measurement. If you are trying to do some type of comparison. I believe you need to consider many other assumptions. (ie: vacation time, vacation options available, age, cost, distance etc., etc., etc.) That said, you can use whatever assumptions you choose to make a point.

"The way" has created an awareness in the U.S. that did not exist a few years ago. This movie and the awareness of the Camino, imo, is the reason for the surge of Americans walking and will continue to appeal to a certain segment of the American population.

In regards to Europe, Spain's, ability to handle this surge. I believe they will adjust. Some will see it as a positive, while others will see it in a negative light.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[janwvb]

Thanks for sharing! Any plans to publish a breakdown per month?

 

[Heidi67]

And how many from Finland has walked the Camino this year?

 

[CelWilliams]

I'm curious if anyone is analyzing pilgrim statistics relative to their country size. 2,514 Americans on the various Caminos may be notable relative to many other countries, but considering the US has a population of ~314M, 8 pilgrims per million is not a significant number. When considering Canada with 754 pilgrims from a population of ~34M, and considering Candians face similar travel costs as the US, the Camino is almost three times more pervasive in Canada (22 pilgrims per million).

On the other hand, is Europe ready for the US to triple its presence??? (In Colorado, we have a saying that, in the winter, Texas comes to Colorado to ski, and Colorado goes to hell. No offense meant to any Texans!)

Don't worry about us Texans taking offense. We know that you Coloradans secretly wish you all were from Texas!

 

[koilife]

I do not think the ratio of population to walkers is a relevant measurement.

I think it's relevant when trying to assess the extent to which a shift in volume is actually meaningful. Gross numbers don't always tell the real story. For instance, if 100 additional Irish were to walk, and 5,000 additional Americans were to walk, we'd be amazed at the 5,000 and barely notice the 100. But when one considers the US population of 315M and the Irish population of 4.6M, we'd realize that the Irish growth per capita that year was greater than the US. Moreover, it gives you an indication of just how pervasive the Camino is in the culture. Yes, other factors such as distance and cost apply, but a 3X factor of Canadian walkers per capita versus US isn't explained by distance and cost. Thus, this just happens to be one more lens into a complex issue.

If you are trying to do some type of comparison. I believe you need to consider many other assumptions. (ie: vacation time, vacation options available, age, cost, distance etc., etc., etc.) That said, you can use whatever assumptions you choose to make a point.

Those same hidden factors equally underlie the pilgrim office statistics, but it doesn't make those statistics irrelevant. I wasn't making a point, simply asking if anyone had looked at the data another way which I thought might be meaningful.

"The way" has created an awareness in the U.S. that did not exist a few years ago. This movie and the awareness of the Camino, imo, is the reason for the surge of Americans walking and will continue to appeal to a certain segment of the American population.

Agreed. The movie The Way is a major contributor. And documentaries like Six Ways to Santiago which played in the art house theater in my home town help too. Out of over 100 people both nights I saw it, I was the only person there to have actually walked it (the staff asked for a show of hands prior to the showing). Given the growth of awareness and rising numbers of people sitting in on information nights at REI (over 7,000 attendees last year in my city alone) and similar informational opportunities, I fully expect to see continued growth in the number of Americans walking. And, given that we are at the bottom end of the pilgrims per capita of the primarily anglophile world, we have a lot of growth room.

 

[jpflavin1]

I think it's relevant when trying to assess the extent to which a shift in volume is actually meaningful. Gross numbers don't always tell the real story. For instance, if 100 additional Irish were to walk, and 5,000 additional Americans were to walk, we'd be amazed at the 5,000 and barely notice the 100. But when one considers the US population of 315M and the Irish population of 4.6M, we'd realize that the Irish growth per capita that year was greater than the US. Moreover, it gives you an indication of just how pervasive the Camino is in the culture. Yes, other factors such as distance and cost apply, but a 3X factor of Canadian walkers per capita versus US isn't explained by distance and cost. Thus, this just happens to be one more lens into a complex issue.

Those same hidden factors equally underlie the pilgrim office statistics, but it doesn't make those statistics irrelevant. I wasn't making a point, simply asking if anyone had looked at the data another way which I thought might be meaningful.

Agreed. The movie The Way is a major contributor. And documentaries like Six Ways to Santiago which played in the art house theater in my home town help too. Out of over 100 people both nights I saw it, I was the only person there to have actually walked it (the staff asked for a show of hands prior to the showing). Given the growth of awareness and rising numbers of people sitting in on information nights at REI (over 7,000 attendees last year in my city alone) and similar informational opportunities, I fully expect to see continued growth in the number of Americans walking. And, given that we are at the bottom end of the pilgrims per capita of the primarily anglophile world, we have a lot of growth room.

Koilife:

The number of Pilgrims checking in at the Pilgrim office does measure a shift in volume from one month/year to the next in several categories (country, gender, age, occupation etc., etc.). These categories are easily identified and measured. Their relevance is in the eyes of the beholder but they do measure annual/monthly change.

I believe the point of the post was to note the increase in certain countries participation. Others may wish to do additional analysis and make other comparisons, as you mentioned based on potential participation versus numbers of participants. My opinion was, if one was to do that in a meaningful way, one should consider the drivers of participation.

My statement never said the idea was irrelevant.

While there are others drivers leading to more American participation (books, documentaries, Pilgrim organizations, word of mouth etc., etc.), I believe the Movie is the main driver.

Going back a number of years there is a post on this website "Where are all the Americans?"

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Tracybc]

I was one of those statistics - how wonderful

 

[jayree]

Agreed. The movie The Way is a major contributor. And documentaries like Six Ways to Santiago which played in the art house theater in my home town help too. Out of over 100 people both nights I saw it, I was the only person there to have actually walked it (the staff asked for a show of hands prior to the showing).

I saw Six Ways on opening night in Seattle. The sold out crowd was 500 plus. About half the attendees had walked the Camino.

 

[jayree]

Paulo Coelho's book was translated to Korean a few years ago. That is when it started to become popular with Koreans.

I noticed the large number of Koreans on the CF in 2012 but virtually none on the CN in 2013. I asked a young Korean woman outside Burgos why so many of her countrymen were coming to Spain. She told me that a Korean woman had recently written an account of her Camino that became very popular in Korea. It was turned into a TV series. She said, "In Korea now the Camino is everyone's dream." I'm not sure, but the book may have been
"The Road to Santiago, Camino de Santiago" (Santiago Ganeun Gil Kamino De Santiago) published in 2009.

 

[koilife]

I saw Six Ways on opening night in Seattle. The sold out crowd was 500 plus. About half the attendees had walked the Camino.

For the first few showings, it was the same here. Lots of pilgrims saw it during the first week, but by the third week, it was pretty much all curious people who had never walked.

 

[fraluchi]

I am surprised by the drop in the percentage of Spaniards but this might be a more seasonal thing - once July and August rolls by, the percentages will climb again.

Comparing Foreigners vs.Spaniards arriving in Santiago during the period January - May, these have been increasing percentage wise from year to year as follows: 2011 - 52%; 2012 - 59%; 2013 - 61% and 2014 also 61%
The 39% of arrivals of Spaniards during the first 5 months of 2014 were followed, in order of importance, by 9% German, 8% Portuguese, 6% Italian, 5% French and 5% USA citizens, etc.
Whereas the bulk of all people arriving in Santiago during this period were aged between 30 and 60 (a steady 57 %), arrivals aged less than 30 years old have declined gradually from 24% in 2012 to 22% in 2014. The > 60 year olds increased from 19% in 2012 to 21% this year.
The people who started in Sarria during this period, compared to the total of those who walked the Camino Francés, increased percentage wise as follows: 2012 - 33%; 2013 - 36%; 2014 - 38%
But the percentage of arrivals during these 5 months who had walked the Camino Francés, compared to the overall total, has gradually been decreasing: 2011 - 69%; 2012 and 2013 - 67%; 2014 - 66%
All in all, and if this remains the year's trend, an 8% increase of arrivals in 2014 compared to 2013 could mean quite a busy upcoming season.

 

[supersullivan]

I talked to 3 seperate Korean peregrinos last year and the driver for their Camino wasn't Paulo Coelho's book but rather a Camino account written by a Korean peregrino.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Of the Canadian pilgrim cohort, it should be noted that likely half of them (no firm figures available or possible, but I am looking at numbers of credentials issued by CCoP and by the AQC, and adding others on the back of an envelope) are francophone from Québec. While the numbers of APOC chapters has increased greatly in recent years, helping support preparing pilgrims from the US, the majority of Canadian pilgrims have attended information and training sessions from their two groups, and I think that these sessions and word-of-mouth communication means that The Way has not had as much of an influence on them. Canadians have tended to travel internationally more than people from the US (the proportion of passport holders has always been much higher, even before recent US entry regulation changes) and European links have been stronger. As well, we are (happily) coming to the end of a period where many US citizens were reluctant to travel. Given that numbers were much higher centuries ago, when plumbing was pretty primitive, I suspect that the Camino will survive.