Santiago will be more than ever, from today and until Tuesday, the epicenter of leisure, business and debate on the Camino de Santiago. Fairway opened its doors today with its day focused on the final public and especially families, who have already enjoyed from the early morning of an extensive program of activities for all ages.

At 9:30 am, a large group of more than a hundred people gathered together in Praza do Obradoiro to take a hiking route that unites both the ends of the four variants of the Camino de Santiago that conclude in Compostela and the exit to Fisterra. After a walk of 16 kilometres away from the usual tourist circuit, they won the Santiaguesa, a credential of their own that rewards participation in this activity.

Late in the morning, the official inauguration took place with the presence of Jorge Duarte, second deputy mayor and councilor of Espacios Cidadáns, Dereito a Vivenda, Mobilidade e Relations Veciñais de Santiago; Antonio Leira, Deputy of Economy and Facade and of Sport and Mocidade of the Deputation of Corunna; Ángel Pérez, territorial director of Correos (sponsor through elcaminoconcorreos.com); and the co-directors of Fairway, Ana Garcia (Trevisani), Manuel Oreiro (Viajes Viloria) and Tono Mugico (Mr. Turismo).

All of them highlighted the importance of the Xacobeo phenomenon for the cities and towns through which the different routes pass, a tourist revulsion that places Spain on the international sustainable tourism map and which is expected to reach a new record in 2021, the next Año Santo.

Activities for everyone, also for the little ones

The Fairway organization sought, in this third edition, to attract the attention of children and adults by proposing a very transversal program. One of the activities that had more reception was an escape room centred on the mysterious belongings abandoned by a medieval pilgrim. There were also many visitors who approached the space in which the Apaca association offered advice on pilgrimage with dogs and encouraged the adoption of abandoned animals on the Camino. The mindfulness workshops, championed by Quietud, also aroused great curiosity.

At 12:30 pm Alberto Lareo began to cook hand in hand with the little ones, who made a pie and fruit skewers with the chef from Santiago de Compostela. Throughout the day, the Fairway playroom will also host different crafts for them, aimed at familiarizing them with the most traditional elements of the Camino.

The gastronomic area, Gastroway, offered to all the public kitchen of the different routes, with plates representing the different areas through which the Jacobean roads pass.

After a show of oral narration by Celso Fernández Sanmartín, the grand finale of the Open Day will put at 19 pm concert Susana Seivane in a more personal and intimate format. Galician gaiteira was protagonist of the program of the TVG "Destino Santiago", crossing the Way on foot next to the comedian David Perdomo.

In parallel to the day of open doors, this morning has also opened its doors Fair with more than a hundred exhibitors. It should be noted that all the communities through which the French Way passes, more than fifty Galician concessions, thirteen Portuguese municipal chambers or other foreign pilgrimage routes such as the Japanese Kumano Kodo or the Italian ones of Francisco de Asís, are present in this space. The latter will be presented on Tuesday by Raffaela Rossi, director of the Consorzio Francesco's Ways.

Congress and training, protagonists in the first day to professionals

The training, with the space Academy, and the colloquia and debates of the congress will center tomorrow, Monday, the first of the two days that this III Fairway dedicates to the professionals. The conference will open the colloquium 'The Camino de Santiago as an experiential journey', which will count as rapporteurs with Helena Perelló de Atrápalo; David Mora of Emoturismo, José Cantero expert in experiential marketing; and Antonio Armesto; of Destiny Experiences

One of the great attractions of the day will be the debate table 'Xacobeo 2021', in which the keys of the next Año Santo will be resolved. Marta Lois, councilor of Igualdade, Economic Development and Tourism of Santiago will participate; Segundo Pérez, dean of the Cathedral of Santiago; Enrique Saiz, general director of Heritage of the Junta de Castilla y León; Ernesto Gómez, director of the Association of Municipalities of the Camino de Santiago; Manuel Mirás, representative of FEGAMP in the Organizing Committee of Xacobeo 2021; Paulo Ramalho, Councilor for International Relations of Maia; and Juan Guerrero, vice president of the Spanish Federation of Friends of the Camino de Santiago Associations.

The round table will be closed 'The Camino de Santiago, a safe path'. Presented by Santiago Villanueva, General Director of Emergencies and Interior, will have José Manuel Flores, managing director of Urxencias Sanitarias de Galicia 061; Fernando Pico, chief commissar of the Autonomous Police; Javier López, Captain of the Civil Guard in Galicia; José González, chief of the Citizen Security Brigade of the Police Station of the National Police of Santiago; Diana Parente, Inspector of the Local Police of Santiago; and Luis Gutiérrez, president of the Spanish Federation of Friends of the Camino de Santiago Associations.

As for the training space, Mabel Cajal, a consultant, will lead the workshop focused on digital tourism marketing to moderate a discussion with experts from the sector such as Laura Rampérez (Inturea), Berta Hernández (Hubspot) and Andrés Romero (Asiri Marketing). In the afternoon, the workshop and the conference on online reputation will be held, directed by Rafael González (Vivential Value), and in which Raúl Jiménez, director of Minube will take part; Óscar Morera, director of actions and special events of Atrápalo; and RJ Friedlander, founder and director of ReviewPro.