In a bid to enhance tourism management, the Xunta de Galicia has begun installing visitor counters at key tourist sites along the Costa da Morte. The initiative aims to provide data-driven insights into visitor flows, enabling better planning and resource management.
Xosé Merelles, the director of Tourism for Galicia, visited Vimianzo Castle, where the first counter has been operational since 9 October. The device has already recorded over 2,300 visitors, with a daily average of 95. Notably, the highest influx occurred on 10 October, with more than 200 entries.
Merelles emphasised the importance of these counters, stating, “This information allows us to go beyond estimates and provides an objective tool to understand visitor behaviour.” He highlighted that the data will help balance tourism activity, heritage conservation, and the quality of life for local residents.
The counters will also assist in adjusting various aspects of tourism management, such as operating hours, services, signage, parking, and promotional activities, based on actual usage of resources. Furthermore, the data will facilitate analysis of seasonal trends and peak visitation periods, promoting a more even distribution of visitors across the region.
The Vimianzo Castle counter is the first of four devices planned for installation in 2026 along the Costa da Morte. Another counter is set to be placed in the municipality of Laxe, with additional installations planned in other locations.
Merelles commended the work of the Costa da Morte Tourist Association (CMAT) in fostering collaboration between local councils and tourism stakeholders to improve destination management.
The initiative comes amid a surge in tourism activity in the Costa da Morte, which recorded 136,321 travellers and 286,772 overnight stays up to September this year, marking increases of 13.4% and 9.1%, respectively. The average stay was 2.10 nights, while sector profitability rose by 16.9%. Domestic visitors increased by 8.7% to 92,349, while international arrivals surged by 24.7% to 43,974.
