The Xunta is committed to social networks and direct flights to boost international tourism
Galicia wants the Camino de Santiago to continue conquering the world. And to achieve this, it now targets directly one of the most powerful phenomena in modern tourism: influencers and content creators in the United States.
The Xunta de Galicia has launched a new international tourism promotion strategy based on social networks, experiential trips and digital content to promote the Camino de Santiago among the North American public, one of the markets that has grown the most in recent years.
The initiative also coincides with a historic moment for Galician tourism:
the premiere of the new direct United Airlines flight between New York and Santiago de Compostela, scheduled for next May 28.
With this direct air connection, Galicia seeks to get even closer to American tourists and turn the Camino de Santiago into a viral experience within social networks and international tourism.
Influencers will travel the French, Portuguese and Coastal Camino
The group of American influencers and tourist agents will spend several days visiting some of the most emblematic points of Galicia and the Jacobean routes.
As explained by Turismo de Galicia, the content creators will visit:
- the French Way,
- the Portuguese Way,
- and the Coastal Path,
in addition to different landscapes and Galician tourist enclaves.
The idea is simple:
show Galicia from within to millions of North American followers through videos, photographs and publications on social networks.
And the Camino de Santiago has become one of the most viral tourist contents on the internet.
More and more influencers, tiktokers and travel creators share:
- sunrises between mountains,
- exciting arrivals to Santiago,
- hostels,
- Galician gastronomy,
- spiritual experiences,
- and personal reflections walking towards Compostela.
The result:
millions of people dreaming of doing the Camino.
The United States is already the Camino's great foreign market
The data perfectly explains why Galicia is betting so heavily on the American public.
The United States has already established itself as the foreign country with the most pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. During 2025, a total of 43,982 Americans carried out Jacobean routes in Galicia.
In addition, more than 274,000 American tourists visited Galicia during the last year, becoming the second most important international market for the Galician community and growing by 8.5%.
The profile of the American traveler fits perfectly with the new trends of:
- experiential tourism,
- hiking,
- wellness travel,
- spiritual tourism,
- nature,
- gastronomy,
- and slow travel.
Precisely everything that the Camino de Santiago offers.
El Camino becomes a viral phenomenon
Just a few years ago, the Camino de Santiago was known mainly among traditional pilgrims and hiking lovers.
Today the situation is completely different.
TikTok, Instagram and YouTube have transformed the Camino into one of the great emotional tourist phenomena on the planet.
Videos showing:
- blisters,
- green landscapes,
- hugs in the Plaza del Obradoiro,
- Galician rain,
- pilgrim meals,
- and moments of personal improvement
They get millions of views.
Many young people discover the Camino precisely thanks to influencers who show a much more human, authentic and emotional experience.
The Xunta wants to take advantage of precisely this viral effect to position Galicia as a reference international destination.
Galicia also seduces Italian journalists
The Galician international offensive is not limited only to the United States.
At the same time, a group of Italian journalists is also traveling different areas of the Camino de Santiago thanks to another action organized together with the Spanish Tourist Office in Rome.
During their stay they have met:
- the North Road,
- the route Fisterra-Muxía,
- and Santiago de Compostela.
The objective is to continue strengthening the international image of Galicia as a destination related to:
- cultural tourism,
- heritage,
- nature,
- adventure,
- and authentic experiences.
Galicia is committed to emotional tourism
Tourism experts agree that the current success of the Camino is not based only on walking.
The real attraction is in the emotion.
More and more travelers are looking for:
- digital disconnection,
- emotional well-being,
- real experiences,
- nature,
- and personal transformation.
The Camino de Santiago offers exactly that.
And social networks have greatly multiplied their international impact.
Many influencers show the Camino as:
- an emotional therapy,
- a physical challenge,
- an adventure,
- or even a spiritual experience.
Especially among the American public, such travel is growing dramatically.
The new New York-Santiago flight can change Galician tourism
The new direct air connection between New York and Santiago de Compostela is considered one of the great strategic bets of Galician tourism for 2026.
Until now, many American tourists needed several stops to get to Galicia.
With the new United Airlines flight, access will be much easier and faster.
The Xunta considers that this connection can trigger:
- the arrival of pilgrims,
- premium tourism,
- rural tourism,
- cultural getaways,
- and international interest in Galicia.
The Camino no longer belongs only to Spain
The Jacobean phenomenon has changed completely.
Today on the Camino they coincide:
- Americans,
- Koreans,
- germans,
- italians,
- brazilians,
- australians,
- and more and more young travelers arriving from all over the world.
And now, in addition to pilgrims...
influencers also arrive.
Because the Camino de Santiago is no longer just a historical route.
It has become one of the largest tourist, emotional and viral phenomena on the planet.
