The Government has presented today at the Museum of Fine Arts of Oviedo the Xacobeo 21-22 National Tourist Plan, a project to promote the Caminos de Santiago as a cultural and heritage product throughout the national territory with an investment that exceeds 121 million euros , which will be financed with European Next Generation funds. The event was attended by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, the President of the Principality of Asturias, Adrian Barbón, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Fernando Valdes and the Minister of Culture, Language Policy and Tourism of the Principality, Berta Piñán. The event was also attended by those responsible for tourism from 11 Autonomous Communities and representative associations of the Camino de Santiago.
“The Camino de Santiago needs a specific plan to revitalize it, taking advantage of the celebration of a Holy Year that will last during 2022. If the Xacobeo of 1993 was fundamental to make the Camino de Santiago a star product of our tourist offer, 2021, the year recovery, will mark a new milestone in the revitalization of this millenary route ”, stressed the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism, Reyes Maroto, at the presentation ceremony at the Museum of Fine Arts in Oviedo, the first of a tour that the Ministry will undertake to publicize the investments of this Xacobeo National Plan in the territories involved.
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The minister explained that the Xacobeo National Tourist Plan is developed within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan of the Government of Spain, the most ambitious exercise of public investment and reforms in the recent economic history of Spain and the greatest opportunity to our country since joining the European Union.
“The Xacobeo Plan incorporates measures to conserve and make better use of the Roads of Santiago, and to promote tourist and economic activity. It is a great country project that unites us around an unrivaled cultural, heritage and experiential offer ”, added Maroto.
Main investments
The plan is structured around five main investment axes that the Secretary of State has detailed:
o National Plan for Tourism Sustainability at Xacobeo Destination 2021-2022. Endowed with 45 million euros, it will finance investments aimed at improving the urban landscapes that the Roads cross, such as those related to improving mobility, signaling and accessibility on the different routes of the Camino; beautification of historic centers or rehabilitation of cultural assets.
o Tourism Product Development Program: The Camino is already a product that transcends its initial religious origin and today it is consolidated as a tourist attraction with enormous heritage, natural and cultural resources. After the impact of the pandemic, a global strategy is required to reposition the Camino as a safe destination, but also more inclusive, accessible and digital. To this end, 5 million euros will be allocated to generate or support products linked to the Compostela experience.
o Sustainable projects for the maintenance and rehabilitation of the historical heritage for tourist use of the Caminos de Santiago: With 65,286,148.27 euros, up to 61 publicly owned buildings will be intervened to make them sustainable, reducing their greenhouse gas emissions; modernizing its spill management systems; reducing energy and water consumption or installing smart technologies.
o Smart Tourist Destinations Program: 5 million euros will be allocated to support collaborative projects between destinations associated with the Caminos de Santiago that are members of the Smart Tourist Destinations Network. With a maximum investment of one million per project, it will have to be initiatives that bring together the entire value chain and that guarantee a real impact on the competitiveness and sustainability of the associated tourism offer.
o International promotion program: Turespaña, through the foreign network of ministries and its international promotion campaign, will invest 1,036,411 euros to promote the main routes of the Camino recognized by international organizations. The planned actions include the conversion of the public office of the Spanish Tourism Council in Rome, located in the Plaza de España, into an Interactive Multimedia Center (CMI) that will operate as an information point for the Xacobeo and whose inauguration It is scheduled for July 12.
Among the most important investments in the rehabilitation of historical heritage are, among others, the expansion of the Museum of Fine Arts in Oviedo and actions in the Cathedral of Mondoñedo (Lugo), in the Finca El Parral (Burgos), in the Palacio de los Fernández Alejo (Toledo), the Monastery of Iratxe (Navarra), the Royal House of Alzira (Valencia) or the New Monastery of San Juan de la Peña (Huesca).
