"Santiago de Compostela struggles as tourism surge exerts escalating strain"
Santiago de Compostela, a historic city in northwestern Spain, is renowned for being the final destination of the Camino de Santiago, a popular pilgrimage route. However, the city is currently grappling with the challenges of overtourism.
In recent years, the number of visitors to Santiago de Compostela has significantly increased, including those not following the pilgrimage trail. This surge in tourism has led to a housing crisis, with many residents being forced to move to towns outside the city due to the high demand for short-term rentals by tourists.
The city council has attempted to address this issue by enacting a ban on Airbnb-style tourist accommodations in the historic centre. However, some short-term rentals are still flouting this ban, exacerbating the housing shortage.
The proliferation of short-term rentals has also contributed to a 44% increase in annual rent prices from 2018 to 2023. This has made finding a place to rent in Santiago de Compostela difficult, even for locals like Andrea Dopazo, who was unable to find a place to rent within the city.
The city's old town and squares are almost exclusively occupied by tourists, causing locals to be displaced. The tourism association in Santiago de Compostela has created wayfinding material focused on promoting good spirit, but tourists are not heeding the appeals.
The Camino de Santiago has also seen a shift towards commercialization, with tour groups of pilgrims in bright, color-coordinated outfits and families snapping pictures becoming common sights. Large groups sing hymns, bikes ride in the wrong direction, and metal pole tips clatter against the cobblestone streets, causing disruptions.
Santiago de Compostela's social media is filled with photos denouncing a lack of decorum. A guide for good manners has been produced and posted throughout the city, but it seems to have little effect.
The historic centre of Santiago de Compostela has lost about half its permanent population since 2000, now reduced to just 3,000 residents. Last year, half a million people signed up to trek one of the approved routes, equal to five times the city's resident population.
A study conducted by Rede Galabra, a research group focused on cultural studies at the University of Santiago, found that half of the residents rejected the tourism-centric economic model as of 2023. This is up from just over one-quarter a decade earlier.
Despite these challenges, the number of pilgrims reaching Santiago is on track to set another record this year. The city continues to grapple with finding a balance between preserving its rich history and culture and accommodating the influx of tourists.
