Pilgrims Statistics for 2013 - growth doubles!

[JohnnieWalker]

Happy New Year from Santiago.

The rain is lashing down but some pilgrims will still arrive on this first day of 2014.

I have compiled an initial analysis of the total statistics for 2013. This is available here:

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/pilgrims-statistics-from-santiago-for.html

I have also included an historical analysis provided by Michael from Ireland which traces the growth of the Camino since 1984 - and it looks as if it will continue.

Thank you to everyone for your kind support and friendship in the last year.

Feliz Año Nuevo

John

 

[Agnogel]

You can add my name to this years list so thats 1

 

[donalomahony]

Most interesting Thanks

 

[brawblether]

A most interesting blog post, thanks JW. I am not surprised to see the 64% increase in Australians, every other person I know seems to have just gone or is going this coming year.

 

[Pig Face Boy]

Thank you for posting the statistics.
I will be doing my first camino in the Spring of 2015, walking from my retirement party at my home near Washington DC to Dulles Airport where I will catch a non-stop flight to CDG-Paris. From CDG I plan to walk to Notre Dame and then continue to the Camino Frances. Quite a walk, but I will have all the time in the world, and most importantly it is a pilgrimage I feel in my heart I must make. ~Pig Face Boy )

 

[pudgypilgrim]

r Washington DC to Dulles Airport where I will catch a non-stop flight to CDG-Paris. From CDG I plan to walk to Notre Dame and then continue to the Camino Frances. Quite a walk, but I will have all the time in the world

Alas, you probably don't have all the time in the world, at least not if you're a US citizen. If you aren't aware, as an American you can only stay in the Schengen country group (which includes both France and Spain) for a total of 90 days at a time. I also plan to walk from Paris (but only from central Paris, not CDG!), but have to split it into two different years since I can't walk that far in only 90 days. It's very irksome, but unfortunately there's no easy way around this--no sort of visa extension unless you apply for a residence permit. If you aren't a US citizen, the rules vary for some other countries, so maybe…

EDIT Or did you mean you would walk to Paris and take the train or some other transit from there to SJPDP? In that case you should be fine, timewise. I think a lot of people manage to do the Le Puy route to Santiago in the 90 days, but you'll need to be an extra-good distance walker every day to do CDG to Santiago in that amount of time.

 

[Pig Face Boy]

The plan is to walk the whole way except got the flight, but I had not considered the 90 day rule. (Yes, I'm a US citizen)

 

[Pig Face Boy]

Thank you! Since you are also walking from Paris please keep in touch.

 

[jmcarp]

Can someone tell me the meaning of the terms "Parados" and "Oikoten" as used in the Pilgrim statistics? Thanks...

 

[amancio]

Can someone tell me the meaning of the terms "Parados" and "Oikoten" as used in the Pilgrim statistics? Thanks...

Parados means "unemployed", oikoten sounds to me like something ecumenical....

 

[piogaw]

Can someone tell me the meaning of the terms "Parados" and "Oikoten" as used in the Pilgrim statistics? Thanks...

Hello jmcarp,

Parados stand for unemployed persons, and oikoten stand for juvenile penitent pilgrims- a program set up in belgium and also used by the french authority. The oikoten usually are accompanied by social workers who are also peregrinos. I met two pairs of them while walking the vdlp this past winter.

Hope this explains the terms. Buen camino.

 

[jmcarp]

[snip]...Parados stand for unemployed persons, and oikoten stand for juvenile penitent pilgrims- a program set up in belgium and also used by the french authority. The oikoten usually are accompanied by social workers who are also peregrinos. I met two pairs of them while walking the vdlp this past winter... [snip]

Thanks for explaining these terms.

Jim

 

[ManyMiles2Go]

Thanks JW, I love stats Very interesting how it continues to grow, I'm sure a lot of those are repeat walkers like I hope to be some day!!

 

[GunnarW]

I like the formula y = 65,9 x (exp) 2,39
(It's in red in the graph)
It would be nice that there would be a marker somewhere on the camino with this formula.

 

[Mark Powell]

Interesting stats. It would be interesting to know the stats on the dates each person finished their camino to give a better idea of the seasonal variations.
Mark

 

[Pelegrin]

Pondering the parameters Nº pilgrims = 3100, Population=22.000.000 Distamce=17.000 Kms. and Growth (pilgrims)=64%

I think that in 2013 the winner should be Australia.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

377 Kiwis out of a population of 4,433k surpasses Australia. Ireland is way ahead with 3,844 out of 4,589k, ten times the rate of New Zealand and Austrlia.

 

[Pelegrin]

I'm sorry I don't agree. Both nations you mentioned would have good positions too, but Australia is first

Australia has 5 times the population of N.Zealand, so 377 x 5 = 1885 would be enough. Austr. had almost double.

Ireland is only 900-1200 kms far from Santiago, similar to Seville or Barcelona and much less than the Canary islands. So Australia is 18 times farther than Ireland and only 4,4 more populated, and the number of pilgrims are quite similar. Don't talk about Growth 64% vs 30% .

 

[t2andreo]

Thank you for posting the statistics.
I will be doing my first camino in the Spring of 2015, walking from my retirement party at my home near Washington DC to Dulles Airport where I will catch a non-stop flight to CDG-Paris. From CDG I plan to walk to Notre Dame and then continue to the Camino Frances. Quite a walk, but I will have all the time in the world, and most importantly it is a pilgrimage I feel in my heart I must make. ~Pig Face Boy )

We appear to be near-neighbors. I live in Reston. Also, I am interested in doing the Paris to St. Jean route, via either Vezelay or Tours. A spring 2-015 start might work. While it is still some time out in the future, we could start a private conversation if you are interested in getting together on this.

 

[t2andreo]

Thank you for posting the statistics.
I will be doing my first camino in the Spring of 2015, walking from my retirement party at my home near Washington DC to Dulles Airport where I will catch a non-stop flight to CDG-Paris. From CDG I plan to walk to Notre Dame and then continue to the Camino Frances. Quite a walk, but I will have all the time in the world, and most importantly it is a pilgrimage I feel in my heart I must make. ~Pig Face Boy )

Also, you might consider taking one of Les Cars Air France from Porte 32 of Terminal 1, where you will arrive, into Paris. See the information here: http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/...97348c-aerolis_deplianttakeoneBD_Mars2013.pdf

Once you are in Paris proper, take the Metro to Notre Dame and start walking from there. The EU rule is that you can legally remain in the EU-zone for up to 90-days in any six month period. The six-month period is a rolling time window.

For your purposes, consider that you have 90 days from the date the customs official stamps your passport "welcoming" you to France. I do not think you can make it all the way to Santiago from Paris in 90-days. But you should be able to make it to St. Jean Pied de Port. Check what others recommend and proceed accordingly.

Bear in mind that there might be some stretches where "leap-frogging" using a bus, or train might be preferable and safer to walking along a busy motorway. Some of the GR-based walking paths in France are on roads, not trails through the woods. Some roads are quiet country paths. Others are rather busy highways.

One of the valuable lessons I learned on Camino last year was that there were days to be brave, and days to be smart.

 

[Pig Face Boy]

Thank you. I am still considering different options. I may start in SJPP and decide when I get to the sea where to go next, both immediately and in my life.

I appreciate your advice about being smart. There have been several cases here in the US of long distance walkers or bicyclists getting killed on roads. Not too far back a man decided to kick a soccer ball from Seattle all the way to Brazil in a year long walk. He was hit and killed a few days into his trek.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ing-soccer-ball-to-brazil-for-world-cup-2014/

The journey, the time to think, and the friendships I hope to make are the reasons I'm going. That won't change even if ever single step is not on foot. Thank you again

 

[jl]

In 2009 I walked from Troyes, not far from Paris, to SJPdP (via Vezelay), then from Bayonne to SdC on the del Norte & Primitivo. I flew out of SdC on day 89. I would imagine it is possible to leave from Paris, still allowing for a rest day every 6 - 7 days. Janet

consider that you have 90 days from the date the customs official stamps your passport "welcoming" you to France. I do not think you can make it all the way to Santiago from Paris in 90-days. But you should be able to make it to St. Jean Pied de Port. /QUOTE]

 

[t2andreo]

JL: I defer to your more direct experience. That said, once you are in the EU and your 90-day clock starts running, staying slightly longer than technically authorized is likely only an issue if you plan to return to the EU any time soon.

As there are no longer formal border controls between the EU member state, for the most part, the officers working exit control where you finally depart the EU are not likely to hassle you if you leave a few days past the 90-day limit. If they do question it, you might simply tell the truth - you were walking the pilgrimage as a one-time-in-your-life journey and lost track of the days. Your "overstay" was not intentional and certainly not planned... You apologize for the oversight and will never do it again...

 

[backpack45]

I appreciated the stats, too, very helpful. We should note, however, that the number of pilgrims did not double -- the rate doubled. That is significant growth, but not as scary as doubling of the total number of people would be.

 

[jl]

The trouble is 12andreo that it is likely that one will be flagged as an overstayer. For people like me that could jeopardise chances of being admitted to countries sensitive to such things, such as the USA. The law is the law and in this case if one wants to return it would not pay to break it. Janet

 

[Monya]

I appreciated the stats, too, very helpful. We should note, however, that the number of pilgrims did not double -- the rate doubled. That is significant growth, but not as scary as doubling of the total number of people would be.

Perhaps a silly question, but could you please explain the difference between the number of pilgrims and the rate of pilgrims doubling? I don't understand this concept. Thanks!

 

[RickParkes]

Happy New Year from Santiago.

The rain is lashing down but some pilgrims will still arrive on this first day of 2014.

I have compiled an initial analysis of the total statistics for 2013. This is available here:

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/pilgrims-statistics-from-santiago-for.html

I have also included an historical analysis provided by Michael from Ireland which traces the growth of the Camino since 1984 - and it looks as if it will continue.

Thank you to everyone for your kind support and friendship in the last year.

Feliz Año Nuevo

John

Hi John your stats are wrong there is no mention of departures from Cadiz. Myself and a friend arrived in Santiago from Cadiz on the 27th October 2013.

Richard Parkes & Michael Fletcher - I am Aussie and Mike is from UK - We both have certificates.

Pilgrim Rick

Go in Peace

Author of;
“The Spanish Pyrenees Adventure(GR11)” and
“Camino de Santiago – A Pilgrims Walk for Prostate Cancer Awareness”
Available Amazon.com or Lulu Publishing. Profits to Cancer Research.
Brisbane QLD

Australia

 

[Tia Valeria]

The stats are taken from the Pilgrim's Office lists, so it depends on how they recorded you as to what Johnnie can post. Sometimes they list the low numbers starting from a given point as 'rest of....' whichever province. So the figures are there but hidden.

 

[Monya]

Ah. The rate of growth has doubled... I get it now.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The statistics page seems to be back up:

http://peregrinossantiago.es/esp/oficina-del-peregrino/estadisticas/

 

[jirit]

What is that old expression that politicians use?

Lies, damn lies and statistics...will get you into trouble all the time

 

[Saint Mike II]

A most interesting blog post, thanks JW. I am not surprised to see the 64% increase in Australians, every other person I know seems to have just gone or is going this coming year.

Our numbers might be down for 2014 with the dollar now down to E0.64. Still those who have saved their dollars will find a way to follow The Way, or any other Camino.
JW - thanks for some great stats - you have obviously missed your calling!!

 

[Saint Mike II]

377 Kiwis out of a population of 4,433k surpasses Australia. Ireland is way ahead with 3,844 out of 4,589k, ten times the rate of New Zealand and Austrlia.

Maybe - but their travel distance to SJPP or any other starting point is less than 1000 KM, so travel distance and time are factors that "should" be included. But then, I was not aware it was a contest, just a way to see Spain, meet other world travellers, loose weight, put on weight, get tired feet!!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Oh, it's a contest all right! Ireland rules!

 

[Canuck]

Hi John your stats are wrong there is no mention of departures from Cadiz. Myself and a friend arrived in Santiago from Cadiz on the 27th October 2013.

You and your friend are there:

Resto Andalucia con 2 (0,12%)

 

[Orafo]

John,

Just a word of thanks for this service that you perform. I am about to give a presentation on the Camino tomorrow to a rather large group of people, and I needed some statistics on the numbers of pilgrims, countries of origin, routes followed, etc. And voilà! A simple search on the forum revealed your post. I'm very grateful.

Frank

 

[Desmond Walsh]

Happy New Year from Santiago.

The rain is lashing down but some pilgrims will still arrive on this first day of 2014.

I have compiled an initial analysis of the total statistics for 2013. This is available here:

http://johnniewalker-santiago.blogspot.com.es/2014/01/pilgrims-statistics-from-santiago-for.html

I have also included an historical analysis provided by Michael from Ireland which traces the growth of the Camino since 1984 - and it looks as if it will continue.

Thank you to everyone for your kind support and friendship in the last year.

Feliz Año Nuevo

John

 

[Desmond Walsh]

Disappointed to see that my starting point of Bordeaux (Burdeos) in September 2013 did not appear in your statistics for 2013. I received my Compostela on 31-Oct-2013 and did produce my credincial that documented my first night in the Cayac Priory in the Gradignam suburb - a 10 km walk from the train station in Bordeaux.