Study visit, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain

The SacredTravels4Growth project continued its international study visits in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, from 20–24 April 2026, bringing participants to one of the world’s most renowned pilgrimage destinations. The five-day programme combined academic exchange, field-based learning, stakeholder engagement, and experiential exploration of the Camino de Santiago and its contribution to religious tourism and sustainable development.

Academic sessions at the Pilgrimage Museum explored the historical, cultural, social, and economic dimensions of pilgrimage, including the foundations and evolution of the Camino, its economic impact, and perspectives on faith, power, and gender. Participants also explored the historic city, Santiago Cathedral and the Pilgrims’ Office, while engaging with pilgrims, volunteers, tourism professionals, researchers, and local organisations. A particularly valuable field experience involved walking a section of the Camino between Melide and Ribadiso, providing participants with first-hand insight into the pilgrimage experience and the importance of rural landscapes, local hospitality, accessibility, and community-based tourism along the route.

The Santiago de Compostela visit demonstrated that the success of the Camino extends beyond its religious significance; it lies in the integration of heritage, landscape, communities, hospitality, entrepreneurship, interpretation, and meaningful visitor experiences into a coherent cultural itinerary. Stakeholder engagements, including the roundtable hosted at the Pilgrims’ Office, provided valuable perspectives on pilgrimage management, visitor support, tourism services, and sustainability.

The visit also highlighted important lessons for developing religious tourism in other destinations: international models should not simply be replicated, but adapted to local cultural, spiritual, social, and environmental contexts. The Santiago study visit therefore represented an important platform for co-creation, knowledge exchange, and strengthening international partnerships within the SacredTravels4Growth project.