More than 420 thousand Portuguese tourists visited Galicia in 2017

Portugal continues to be the first international market for tourism in Galicia, representing in 2017 almost 4% of stays with more than 420 thousand Portuguese tourists, revealed today the Galician Tourism Cluster.

“If, on the one hand, in 2017, Portuguese tourists represented almost 4% of the total number of stays, well above the other international emitting markets, on the other hand, the Portuguese Route is the second most chosen route to about 20% of the pilgrims, “revealed the Tourism Cluster of Galicia that chose the district of Porto to host a meeting of Galician tour operators.

With the approach of the Holy Year of 2021 (Xacobeo 2021), a significant landmark for Galicia and in which the Cluster is already working, the organization chose the Port for its dynamic nature, but also for its geographical proximity, seeking to affirm Galicia as a “unique and differentiated tourist destination”.

“We want to bring this modern and prosperous city to the offer of thermal baths, active tourism, wine tourism, nature, relaxation and all the wealth and diversity that Galicia has to offer, making it a unique and differentiated tourist destination. arrives at its destination, where the beaches design monuments and where the quality and cordiality in the service go hand in hand, “said the president of the Cluster, Cesareo Pardal, in a statement.

According to the organization, the Xacobeo2021 celebration will bring, during the next years, an increasing number of pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, surpassing the 300 thousand pilgrims registered in 2018, a year that is dedicated to the Portuguese Way and, in particular, the Portuguese Way of the Coast, which has seen the number of pilgrims increase from year to year.

“The Portuguese Way is the second most chosen route to make the Camino de Santiago, with about 20% of the pilgrims, while the Portuguese Way of the Coast, occupies the 7th place among the routes chosen, totalling more than 66,000 pilgrims in the last year, “reads the note from the organization that reveals that after ten years of restoration, the Portico de la Gloria of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela can already be visited.

The III Destination Workshop Proximity of the Cluster Tourism of Galicia, which takes place today in Vila Nova de Gaia, is part of a promotion strategy whose objective is to make known “the Galician tourist offer to Portuguese tour operators, creating synergies between the two the regions and promoting a greater knowledge of the products and specialized segments of the tourism of Galicia “, as well as making known, in advance, the main actions to be carried out in the context of the Holy Year of 2021.

The initiative includes a tasting dinner guided by chef Pablo Gallego.

According to the organization, this year “a great bet is being made on the creation of promotional material and awareness actions for Galician tourism, oriented to segments such as active tourism, wine tourism and rural and family tourism, for which, for, For example, a catalogue of proposals and offers was developed through the Family Galicia brand.

The Tourism Cluster of Galicia represents 95% of the companies in this sector, working as a body to promote public-private cooperation, exchange of information and experiences and the construction of bridges of collaboration with the Portuguese sector.