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• The initiative received an economic boost of €1,790,000 from European funds to boost local economies in a sustainable manner.
• The objective of the project is to directly benefit the 5 Autonomous Communities of the French Way, made up of 188 localities and where 3,000 companies operate.

The ‘Camino de Europa’ project has received financial support from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan with an endowment of €1,790,000. This initiative aims to boost the local economies of the Camino Frances in a sustainable way, encouraging the enjoyment of cultural wealth.

This initiative was born thanks to the collaboration of the WAYS company and the Camino de Santiago Calle Mayor de Europa Cultural Association. The Commonwealth of Galician Municipalities of the French Way, the Melide City Council, the UNIR Foundation, the National Center for Renewable Energies, the Territory Entrepreneurship Association and the CESTE Foundation are also part of this consortium.

The objective of the ‘Camino de Europa’ project is to directly benefit the 5 Autonomous Communities of the French Way, the most traveled and internationally recognized: Galicia, Castilla y León, La Rioja, Aragón and Navarra. Most of the companies that are found along the French Way, some 3,000, are small producers, artisans, merchants, artists, and other local services created directly to serve pilgrims.

The project plans to create a marketplace based on blockchain technology, meeting the needs of pilgrims in the 21st century. This digital transformation will allow walkers to participate in the cultural experiences that the Camino de Santiago offers, connecting local businesses with pilgrims.

The platform will allow boosting economic activity on the routes. One of its challenges is to value the rich heritage and cultural diversity of the Ruta Xacobea, in addition to promoting inclusive innovation. The initiative also takes sustainable tourism into account: one of the options that the platform values ​​is to find out through the app the accommodation and service alternatives with a lower impact on the carbon footprint.