October 2014

[Deleted member 3000]

The number of Compostelas is up 17% from last year. The October total is about 23,205 compared to 19,608 last year. Today, a Friday, was the smallest Friday number since the first week of April.

 

[fraluchi]

According to http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/ the October 2014 pilgrim arrivals in Santiago were 23'207
That's an 18% increase compared to October 2013 (19'678)
What sticks out is the number of arrivals of pilgrims who walked the Camino Francés: 22'603 (14'959 in 2013 - i.e. a whopping + 51%) (see my questioning below)
Those who declared having started in Sarria were 5'251 (4'243 in 2013, + 24%).
Pilgrims who had walked the Camino Francés for more than 100 km (i.e. before Sarria) registered 17'352 (10'716 in 2013; +62%)
The October statistics displayed on the website are not as complete as for previous months and raise a couple of questions.
For one the Camino Francés arrivals (22'603), if correct, would have been 97% of the total arrivals (23'207).

 

[fraluchi]

Hoho! I see that right now that the website is mainly blank and some figures are being corrected.
I'll wait another day???

 

[fraluchi]

Dios bendiga the hard workers at the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago: the website is updated this Monday.
The figures for the year can be guessed at this stage: November and December arrivals are in general an approx. 3% of a year's total.
This means that 2014 will probably close with around 237'700 pilgrim arrivals, representing an overall increase of 21'800 (+10%) compared to 2013.
Pilgrims who walked the Camino Francés represent 68% (70% in 2013) of all arrivals.
The proportion of Camino Francés walkers who started in Sarria increased to 37% (35% in 2013, 30% in 2012) and their numbers by 13% (28% in 2013).
The last 100 kms before Santiago on the Camino Francés are becoming more and more "congested".
More pilgrims are choosing other Caminos: Portugués (+20%), Norte (+22%), Primitivo (+32%) and the Camino Inglés (+72%).
For some reason less people appeared to have started from Ourense (Camino Sanabrés) this year.
The proportion of foreign vs. Spanish pilgrims reached 52% (51% in 2013; 50% in 2012; 47% in 2011) with record numbers from English speaking countries (USA, Canada, Australia, etc.) and fair increases from the traditional European ones (Germany, France, Italy, UK, etc.)
These should not be reasons for NOT wanting to learn Spanish!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Today was the lowest number of Compostelas on a Saturday since the last week in March.

 

[clearskiescamino]

All these records being broken..when will it end?

 

[fraluchi]

Today was the lowest number of Compostelas on a Saturday since the last week in March.

March was an "average" month this year. Because Easter was coming up and people probably delayed until April.
I would guess that this month of November there could be between 3'500 and 3'800 Compostelas to be issued. That could be slightly less than last year (2013).
Records are not getting broken, but there is a decided shift of potential walkers to alternative periods during the year and to other Caminos in Spain.

 

[fraluchi]

Pilgrim numbers – January - November 2014 – some comparisons with 2013

In absolute numbers, pilgrim arrivals this year increased by 21’839 (+ 10%) compared to 2013.

65% were foreign and 35% Spanish nationals. During last year, the proportions were 55% and 45%: foreign pilgrims are increasingly outpacing the number of locals.

Of these 21’839 pilgrims, 46% (10’099) chose the Camino Francès; 27% (5’846) the Portuguès, 13% (2’726) the Inglès; 8% (1’658) the Norte; 7% (1’432) the Primitivo. Less pilgrims walked the Via de la Plata (-503 or -6%) and a minority (476) chose other Caminos.

Percentage-wise the increases this year, compared to 2013 totals, were: Camino Francès +7%, Portuguès +20%, the Inglès +62%, the Norte +12%, the Primitivo +21%. Thus more pilgrims opted for other Caminos rather than the Francès.

The Camino Francès stretch from Sarria to Santiago (the last 100 kms) has continued to be popular and pilgrims increased by 12% compared to 2013. Similarly, pilgrims from Tui and Lugo to Santiago increased by resp. 24% and 38% compared to last year.

Early January some more info on the Camino trends.
A blessed Christmas and ultreya in the new year.