Regional media outlets, such as La Voz de Galicia, have reported on the analysis of the impact and trends in international tourism along the Camino de Santiago, highlighting the work of Pambre Tours, a Lugo-based agency specializing in the management of exclusive itineraries.
As an official agency (License XG 662) with more than two decades of exclusive dedication to this route, our track record allows us to offer a level of knowledge of the trails, technical expertise, and attention to detail that is hard to match. On this occasion, the regional press has highlighted the growth in the number of Asian travelers in Galicia and how our company tailors the pilgrimage experience to their needs through high-end services.
The Boom in International Tourism on the Camino de Santiago
Official statistics from the Pilgrim’s Office show that so far in 2026, nearly 60% (59.16%) of pilgrims have come from outside Spain. Although countries such as Italy, the United States, Portugal, and Germany traditionally top the international rankings, the number of pilgrims from China is experiencing a particularly significant increase:
- Before the pandemic: Only about a hundred Chinese citizens received the Compostela each year.
- Recent trends: Following the reopening of borders in 2022, the number of pilgrims has increased exponentially. In 2024, 2,689 people received the certificate; in 2025, the number rose to 4,433; and in 2026, the number of pilgrims has already reached 3,769.
In total, about 4,000 Chinese pilgrims earn the official certificate each year, in addition to many others who walk sections of the Camino without applying for the Compostela.
Attention to detail and customized design: The profile of the Chinese traveler
As Germán Fernández, one of the managers at Pambre Tours, explains, the typical client served by our agency is someone with high purchasing power and extensive experience in international travel.
Thanks to our two decades of experience organizing the Camino, we design itineraries tailored with the utmost precision:
- Extended and personalized itineraries: Their trips typically last 10, 12, or 15 days in total. They usually combine the early stages—crossing the Pyrenees through France and Pamplona—with the Galician section, where they cover the final 100 kilometers (from Sarria) in 3 or 4 days with longer, more intense hikes.
- Exclusive accommodations: They prefer to stay in hotels and pazos, although occasionally they request to spend a night in a traditional hostel.
- Landscape, heritage, and cuisine: They are passionate about the colors of the Meseta, the stages through Burgos and León, and the green landscapes of Galicia, with the excursion to Fisterra being a nearly unanimous request. Likewise, the local cuisine ranks among the most highly valued aspects of their trip.
Excellence in service and cultural exchanges
To provide personalized service tailored to your culture, Pambre Tours has the support of a native Chinese mediator. Furthermore, to reinforce our commitment to the highest quality of service, Germán Fernández has enrolled in Mandarin classes at the Official Language School of Lugo.
This cultural connection also works in the opposite direction: at Pambre Tours, we organize trips to China for small groups (12 to 18 participants). Unlike typical commercial packages that focus solely on major cities, our itineraries combine cities like Shanghai and Hangzhou with immersive experiences in traditional villages, focusing on pottery, tea plantations, and rice farming.
At Pambre Tours, with our Official License XG 662 and more than 20 years of experience dedicated entirely to the Camino de Santiago, we continue to put our expertise and attention to detail at the service of pilgrims from around the world. Germán Fernández
