What is a 'turrigrino': Almost half a million people visited the Camino de Santiago last year, a record number that consolidates this destination as a powerful tourist magnet. This explosion of popularity did not go unnoticed by the program «Research Team» of La Sexta, which in 2024 dedicated a special to analyzing the phenomenon. Under the leadership of Gloria Serra, the program revealed the complex reality of a Camino with a "side A" of success and a "side B" of debate and controversy.
From the Pilgrim to the “Turigrino”: A Paradigm Shift
Historians and recognized experts in the program addressed how this boom has been able "distort" the original essence of the Camino. The figure of the traditional pilgrim, who carries his backpack and spends the night in hostels, is giving way to the so-called «turrigrino»: a type of traveler who, although he travels part of the route, does so with a comfort foreign to the original spirit. This new profile has catalyzed the emergence of numerous businesses and services, from companies specialized in baggage collection and transportation to a exponential increase in the number of hotels and higher category accommodations along the routes.
A clear example of this transformation was observed in Sarria, a small municipality in Lugo that has become a vital starting point for many pilgrims (especially those seeking to obtain the Compostela by completing the last 100 kilometers). During the recording of the program, this Galician enclave had just approved the construction of five new hotels, evidencing the whirlwind of urban and tourist development that accompanies the Camino.
The Fever for Official Recognition and its Benefits
The “Investigation Team” reporters also revealed a less known facet: the intense race of numerous towns and municipalities to obtain official recognition and integrate into one of the 10 official routes of the Camino de Santiago. Localities that for years have invested efforts in researching and presenting exhaustive documentation to validate their historical connection with the ancient route.
The motivation behind this "fever" for recognition is clear: The economic benefits it brings to town councils and local economies are considerable. The program put under the magnifying glass how the inclusion in the official layout can skyrocket profits of local businesses, from hospitality and restaurants to the souvenir and service trade. This economic boom has even led to documenting cases where some actors are willing to take extreme measures to divert walkers to their own businesses, in a competition that, at times, borders on the ethics of the Camino.
The "Research Team" analysis made it clear that the Camino de Santiago is at a crossroads, torn between its rich spiritual and cultural heritage, and the growing pressures of mass tourism that redefines it at every step.
