SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, Spain (abstract from an article in The New York Times by RAPHAEL MINDERAUG. 31, 2014) The surge in popularity of the Camino pilgrimage, which dates from the ninth century, has turned what was a spiritual obstacle course in medieval times into a booming part of modern Spain’s tourism industry. At a time when other parts of the economy are still suffering, the pilgrimage has become big business here — so much so that it has invigorated not only local economies but also a debate over how to balance mass tourism and spiritual reflection. Near Santiago, dozens of private establishments have started to compete with the network of government-owned hostels, and some municipalities have been pushing to add more official routes to the Camino, hoping to benefit as well from this tourism bonanza. Santiago was the final resting place of St. James, and the discovery of his remains created one of the main medieval pilgrimages. Its importance dwindled because of the rise of Protestantism and the effects of the plague and conflicts, which hindered European travel. In 1984, just 423 pilgrims were certified as having completed the route here. This year, an estimated 240,000 pilgrims are expected to come, up from 215,880 last year. Such is the popularity of the Camino today that many of the more devout pilgrims now travel off-season to avoid the summer rush, according to Maria Angeles Fernández, the president of the Spanish Federation of Associations of Friends of the Camino de Santiago. In the village of Faramello, a new hostel with 40 beds opened in May. “This tourism has really become the main opportunity to find work around here,” said Concha, the receptionist, who would not give her full name. Before finding this job, she had been unemployed for five years, she said. The Spanish authorities “must strike a balance between developing tourism and maintaining the tradition of the Camino,” warned Lijia Zhang, a Beijing-based writer, who spent two weeks walking in August. “Otherwise it will lose its soul, and therefore its appeal, before too long.” Other pilgrims describe their experience as unforgettable, even if some seasoned visitors remember more fondly earlier and less commercial times. For pilgrims, the final hurdle comes in Santiago itself, at the office where certificates are delivered to those who have walked at least the last 100 kilometers, or 62 miles. Virginia Gómez and César Martínez, an unemployed couple from Madrid, said they were delighted to have reached Santiago but disappointed by the costs of nearly everything along the way. Some establishments did not provide free toilet paper, they said.
Posted on: Wed, 03 Sep 2014 21:00:00 +0000
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