August is about to end, despite the unstable weather in July and the pandemic, Galicia breaks tourist record. The Xunta maintains that it will be an exceptional year, and the sector recognizes that they have exceeded all forecasts.
The data points to an average occupancy of 85%, in the central summer months, and around the 65% for the month of September, which would translate into an exceptional summer for tourism.
Official data, provided this morning by Alfonso Rueda, indicate that tourist occupancy for the month of July was 80% higher than in 2020, and better also than in 2019, which had already been a good year for tourism. According to the Xunta, Tourism has grown this summer in Galicia by 20% above the national average.
For his part, from the sector, the President of the Galician Tourism Cluster assures that the final balance of the summer will be even better than these data indicate. Cesáreo Pardal acknowledges that Galicia is exceeding all forecasts, “greatly benefited by the increase in national and Portuguese tourism.”
The sector assumes that August will close with a very high occupancy, above 85%; and for September, forecasts are also high.
This increase in tourism is also noticeable in the different Ways of Santiago. According to the vice president of the Xunta, in August you can reach 100,000 “compostelas” sealed; with the objective of close the year with 140,000.
Alfonso Rueda made these statements this morning in Portas, at the Briallos hostel, at the start of a new stage of the Portuguese Way along the Coast.
Precisely this morning, the Subdelegate of the Government in Pontevedra, Maica Larriba, and the Commander of the Civil Guard presented the Campaign in Arcade “You do not walk alone: a road to Santiago Free of Sexist Violence”.
Although there were only 2 complaints of theft on the Portuguese Way as it passed through the province of Pontevedra this summer, the security plan has the reinforcement of police officers on horseback to reach the places with the worst access. In addition to offering safety to pilgrims, this device also serves to prevent forest fires.
Also thinking about tourism, the city of Pontevedra is emerging as the venue for the annual forum of the Placemaking Europe Foundation in 2022. A forum dedicated to proposing future solutions to create sustainable urban designs. An event that could bring about 500 visitors from all over Europe to Pontevedra for a week.
This morning began the two-day visit of the leaders of this Foundation, Charlot Schans and Ramón Marrades. They are in Pontevedra to learn about the urban model of the capital. This morning accompanied by the mayor, they toured the city center. Tomorrow, Thursday, the leaders of Placemaking Europe will visit the A Fracha forest park and the so-called centrality nucleus of Salcedo.
The Director of the Foundation, Ramon Marrades, made it clear this morning that Pontevedra is “the main candidate” to host this forum next year.
For his part, the mayor of Pontevedra did not hide his satisfaction at hosting this international forum and getting the city recognized as a European model.
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