The Camino de Santiago on two wheels: an incomplete reality

Camino de Santiago Pangea routesEvery year, thousands of people arrive in Santiago de Compostela after completing one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago. Among them are a good number of cyclists, sometimes known as bicigrinos. However, the official data provided by the Pilgrim Office They do not reflect the whole reality.

The data provided by the Pilgrim's Office is very valuable, a series that consistently accumulates a history of several years, but in the case of cyclists the available information is much more limited.

In a context like the current one, in which we are aware of the problem we face in Spain regarding the lack of data in the cycle tourism sector, we see some significant limitations in the data provided on arrivals to Santiago de Compostela by bike. The reason is simple: only those who officially apply for the Compostela, the certificate that proves they have completed at least the last 200 kilometers of the Camino, are officially counted.

Cyclists who apply for the Compostela per year

This excludes a large number of cycle tourists who don't request it for various reasons. How many? We don't know. This is the reality for the entire cycle tourism sector in our country. We don't know how many people visit us for a bike trip or how many Spaniards enjoy their cycling holidays. We don't know the number or the economic impact they have.

We are sure that it will be a much higher figure than the 1.620 billion euros that was the figure from the reference study in the sector by our dear friend. Richard Weston"The European Cycle Route Network EuroVelo: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism"
Authors: Richard Weston, Nick Davies, Les Lumsdon, Peter McGrath (University of Central Lancashire) and Paul Peeters, Eke Eijgelaar, Peter Piket (NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences)

This study, requested by the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism, dates back to 2012.
The sector has changed a lot, and in countries like ours, it has grown significantly. It's urgent to find out, with figures, how much.

Official figures don't tell the whole story

The statistics we see each year are based on the number of people who come to the Pilgrim's Office to collect their Compostela. If a cyclist doesn't do so, their trip simply doesn't exist in the records.

Why don't all cyclists apply for the Compostela?

Because they do not meet the 200 km threshold required by the regulations.

Because they have completed a section of the Camino but have not reached Santiago.

Because their motivation is not religious, but rather sporting, cultural, or personal, and they are hesitant to apply for the Compostela.

Because they prefer to avoid bureaucracy or queues in Santiago (although we must acknowledge that the Pilgrim's Office has improved this aspect a lot in recent years).

What consequences does this underreporting have for cycle tourism?

Poorly dimensioned cycling infrastructures

Without a precise understanding of the number of cyclists completing the Camino, it's impossible to properly plan the network of support services: bike racks, workshops, segregated sections, adapted accommodations, or refreshment points.

Lack of investment in specialized services

The statistical invisibility of the bicigrino means fewer resources are dedicated to it. In other words, less is invested in a traveler profile that, in reality, may have a greater impact than estimated.

Invisibility of the economic impact of cycle tourism

The cycle tourist has a high average daily expenditure, estimated at around 128 € / day According to European studies (EuroVelo), failing to properly account for them is a waste of an opportunity to promote sustainable local development.

How many bike commuters are undercounted? Realistic estimates

Since there are no official figures, we decided to survey several agencies that offer bike tours on the Camino de Santiago as part of a consulting project we were working on. We consulted all of these agencies:

Camino de Santiago Agency, Camino Agency, ArtNatura Galicia, Bicigrino, Biciland, Bike Spain, Camino de Santiago 2.0, Camino Ways, Caminofy, Cumbres Travel, Do Camino, Exode Bike, Follow The Camino, Galiwonders, Hola Camino, MAC, MTB SPAIN, Mundicamino, Mundiplus, Pambre Tours, Pilgrim, Proguías, Rutas Meigas, S-Cape, Santiago Gate, Santiago Ways, Tee Travel, Tu buen camino, Viaje Camino de Santiago, Viajes en bici and we also review our latest Caminos de Santiago, of course.

First of all, I'd like to thank all the agencies that dedicated their time and expertise to us. Thank you so much.

The responses received from the agencies that work with bike trips along the Camino offered the information that among the 20% to 40% of their clients do not apply for the CompostelaSome even indicated that most do not.

Cyclists applying for the Compostela

Possible percentage of cyclists who request the Compostela

Possible scenarios and their real impact

To understand the extent of underreporting, various scenarios have been proposed:

  • If current data captured 100% of actual cyclists, the problem would not exist.
  • But if they only represent 75%, 50%, or even 25%, we're talking about a real volume of cycle tourists between 1,3 and 4 times higher than the actual number.

These scenarios show a worrying gap between reality and perception. Bad counting is bad management.

What can be done? Proposals for improving registration

Surveys on the road

Conducting surveys of cyclists at strategic points along the different Caminos de Santiago would allow for a better estimate.

Possible increase in uncounted cyclists

Possible increase in uncounted cyclists

Collaboration with accommodations and agencies

Collecting aggregated (and anonymous) data from cycling accommodations and specialized agencies would allow us to know what routes are being taken, how many cyclists are traveling, on what dates, etc.

Voluntary digital registration

Incorporating an optional digital check-in via apps or QR codes in hostels would allow cycle tourists to record their trip without having to apply for a Compostela.

“Responsible Cycling Path” Certification

Promoting certification for agencies, accommodations, and operators involved in the sustainable development of the Camino by bicycle could be an incentive to share data and improve service.

Why does this matter so much now?

Cycle tourism is booming throughout Europe, and the Camino de Santiago has enormous potential to lead this segment. But for that to happen, We must better understand those who travel it on two wheels..

It's a matter of planning, sustainability, and fairness to those who choose an active and respectful way of traveling.

Number of arrivals based on the percentage of cyclists who do not request a Compostela

Conclusion: Count well to value better

The current statistical system of the Pilgrim's Office has a significant methodological bias, limiting it to cyclists applying for the Compostela. The creation of a complementary observation system, in collaboration with key cycle tourism stakeholders, would allow for a better understanding of this strategic segment of the Camino and strengthen its sustainable and orderly development.

The bicigrino is not a second-class pilgrim. He's a traveler who contributes, consumes, respects, and enriches the Camino. But if he's not counted, he's not valued.

The time has come to improve methodology, open up new recording avenues, and adapt policies to the 21st century. If we want to manage with data, we need these data sources.

Along these lines, there is also good news, such as the incorporation of data on the frequency of Spanish greenways into the Platform. Dataestur of the Society for the Management of Innovation and Tourism Technologies dependent on the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, SegitturThis incorporation is the final result of a strategic initiative to advance greenways in Spain, part of the "Experimenta Vías Verdes" project, in which Rutas Pangea is a partner, funded by the Experiences program of the State Secretariat for Tourism.

Greenway data has been added to Dataestur as a new section in the sustainability category, which is available in Spanish and English. https://www.dataestur.es/sostenibilidad/vias-verdes/. Plus information here.

We must continue on that path, or as they say in the jargon, "follow that wheel." We need more data to better manage and highlight what cycle tourism can do for our territories.