The main challenge of the celebration of the Jubilee Year of Caravaca de la Cruz 2024 is the consolidation of an economic, tourist and social transformation project that turns the Region of Murcia, not just Caravaca, into a leading destination at a national and international level. For those responsible for accommodation and other establishments dedicated to catering, the challenge is to increase the number of overnight stays, both in the municipality and in the entire Northwest region, and ensure that visitors can enjoy a tourist offer that encompasses landscapes, nature, sports, culture, folklore and that goes beyond religious tourism.
These days the sector is already registering an increase in the number of reservations from groups of pilgrims
In addition to increasing the number of visitors in 2003, 2010 and 2017, institutions and professional groups in the tourism sector have worked to achieve a greater presence of international travelers, especially from countries such as Italy, Ireland, United Kingdom, France, Portugal and Latin America. The forecast of the Tourism Institute of the Region of Murcia, in this sense, is to reach up to one million visitors, which would generate an economic impact of about 200 million euros and would allow, in the Northwest region alone, the creation of about 2,000 new jobs associated with the tourism sector. The hotel accommodations of Caravaca de la Cruz formed an association last October (Hodeca) whose most immediate objective is to improve communication and coordination for the Jubilee Year 2024 so that hotels, apartments and inns are informed sufficiently in advance of the large events that have been scheduled and those that may be scheduled in the coming months, as well as the group pilgrimages that have already confirmed their trip to the city.
IN DETAIL
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Caravaca de la Cruz has 170 accommodations with a total of 1
164 places. Of them, 368 in 11 hotels and guesthouses; 157 beds in 54 apartments; 86 in 16 residential accommodations and 553 in 89 rural houses. -
The Northwest region has 614 accommodations for a total of 49
553 beds spread across 31 hotels and guest houses, 117 apartments, 52 holiday accommodations, two campsites and 412 rural houses.
The Department of Tourism has promoted tourist packages and offers that allow increasing overnight stays in the municipality. The president of Hodeca, Antonio de Gea, highlights that “we are clear that working together through associations is positive for everyone and we hope that the rest of the establishments will join the accommodations that make up the association and we also consider that it can be expanded with “other hotels and accommodations that help boost the sector beyond the celebration of the Jubilee Year.”
According to data provided by the Tourism Institute, the municipality has an offer of 170 accommodations, totaling about 1,164 places. Regarding the type of establishments, the city has 11 hotel accommodations, with 368 beds; 54 tourist apartments, with 157 beds; 16 vacation homes, with 86 beds; and 89 rural houses, with 553 beds. In recent years, new facilities have been opened such as Neo Hotel, on Gran Vía de Caravaca, with 30 rooms; and homes have been converted into tourist accommodation. This offer is expanded, at the regional level, to a total of 614 accommodations with a capacity of 49,553 places; with 31 hotels, 117 apartments, 52 holiday accommodations, 412 rural houses and two campsites. Rural accommodation stands out with 66% of the total, as it is a region with a marked interior and nature character.
Hostels on the Greenway
Through the Vías Verdes Consortium, a network of hostels is made available to pilgrims along the Northwest Greenway, in all its municipalities. Hodeca does not want to ring the bell, but its president, Antonio de Gea, confesses that “the prospects are very good and we have already been able to verify that there has been an increase in the number of reservations, due to the groups of pilgrims who have decided spend the night in Caravaca, and we trust that in the coming weeks this will be the trend; There are also many individual reservations. De Gea also highlights the work carried out jointly with the Caravaca City Council and with Itrem, which has allowed the association to be present at fairs and other types of professional events. He hopes to continue working along these lines “so that the hotels in Caravaca and the entire Northwest region can register a high level of occupancy throughout the year.” “We have to achieve – he points out – that a federation is created at the regional level of all the sector that goes beyond the Jubilee Year.”
Establishments will have event offers available through QR codes
José Santiago Villa, Councilor for Tourism of Caravaca de la Cruz, emphasizes that “we have carried out numerous training activities, we have met with tourist guides, we have coordinated with the entire hotel and hospitality sector.” The councilor announced that, “in the coming days, we are going to present a new initiative that will allow all establishments in the sector to have an information offer through QR codes that will allow each location to become a Tourist Information Point.” Digital with data on cultural events and other events that are scheduled, as well as the tourist offer throughout the municipality.
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