The announcement was made in Barcelos, Braga district, by the president of Turismo Porto e Norte de Portugal, Luís Pedro Martins, during an International congress on the Camino de Santiago.

“We are going to promote the Euro-region externally in large markets, such as the United States, Canada or Brazil. Why can't we go to these places with our products, like the Caminhos de Santiago or Alvarinho wine?”, he said.

For Luís Pedro Martins, the North of Portugal and Galicia will gain scale capacity if they present themselves together.

“Two countries, two regions, one destination, we certainly gained a different scale capacity”, he highlighted.

The congress on the Caminhos de Santiago represented, according to Luís Pedro Martins, the “kick off” of the Galicia-North of Portugal tourist cluster, “the first of a Euro-region”.

For the person responsible, the Caminhos de Santiago are “an increasingly strong product” of Porto and the North and Galicia.

Pilgrims

According to him, this year, from Portugal, 93 thousand pilgrims have already arrived to Santiago via the central route and 74 thousand via the coastal route.

“We have already far surpassed last year’s numbers”, he highlighted.

He also highlighted that, currently, American nationality is the second to arrive in Santiago from Portugal.

“I believe that many of the tourists from the United States who arrive at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport are, in fact, also doing the Camino de Santiago,” he said.

The Caminhos de Santiago will, therefore, be one of the main pillars of the Galicia-North of Portugal tourism cluster, which obtained financing of 690 thousand from European funds.

Wine

Wine tourism, with emphasis on Alvarinho wine, is another asset of the 'cluster', which will also invest in creating its own brand and image.

The Director of Tourism Competitiveness of Galicia, Iván Meléndez Medela, said that the creation of the 'cluster' is "more than an opportunity, it is a necessity", in order to find "new synergies and new strategies to boost" the euro-region.

“It’s much more that unites us than what separates us,” he said.

The head of the International Cooperation Division of the Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR) of the Northern Region, Vítor Deveza, said that the Camino de Santiago are “the emblem of cooperation” between the two regions.

“More than a cultural asset, they are an economic asset”, he added, highlighting CCDR’s commitment to boosting the Caminhos de Santiago.

The director of the European Group of Territorial Cooperation Galicia-North of Portugal, Nuno Almeida, emphasised the need for there to be “a decent train” that connects the two regions and to create once and for all the status of border workers.