Santiago de Compostela in Spain, famed for its Camino de Santiago pilgrimage, is introducing a tourist tax to alleviate overcrowding and make life more pleasant for residents of the city.
Mayor Goretti Sanmartín has announced plans to promote sustainable tourism. Under consideration is a plan for hoteliers in 2025, to implement a tourism tax, a nightly fee of €0,50-€2,50 (R10-R50), depending on the accommodation.
The mayor has outlined plans for conscious tourism in Santiago. “I want this municipality to stop being just a tourist destination and a theme park. I want a Santiago from which there is no need to flee, due to uncontrolled tourism. We aspire to enjoy a rich and prosperous tourism sector but also a comfortable and breathable city,” she said.
The north-western autonomous community in Galicia saw over 440 000 pilgrims in 2022, and has an annual average of over 300 000 visitors. Pilgrims can take a variety of caminos (roads) starting in Spain, France or Portugal and ending at the 19th century Santiago cathedral in Santiago de Compostella. For Christians, the Romanesque basilica is believed to be the burial place of one of the apostles of Jesus, Saint James the Great.
