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Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Saudi Gazette
Nearly 17 million foreign pilgrims perform Umrah in 2024, up 101% from 2022
Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — A total of 18.5 million pilgrims from various parts of the world performed Hajj and Umrah during the year 2024. An overwhelming majority of these pilgrims, 16.92 million in number, came to perform Umrah, according to the statistical figures released by the Doyof Al-Rahman Program in its 2024 report. This figure of Umrah pilgrims exceeded the target for the last year, representing a growth rate of 101 percent compared to 2022. This reflects the integration of efforts and the smoothness of procedures, the program pointed out. In global index rankings, Makkah ranked fifth globally in terms of the number of international visitors, and Madinah jumped to seventh globally in the Tourism Performance Index, reflecting the Kingdom's leading position as a religious and tourist destination. "Doyof Al Rahman" is a program initiated by Saudi Arabia under the umbrella of Vision 2030, aiming to enhance the experience of pilgrims visiting Makkah and Madinah for Hajj and Umrah. The program focuses on streamlining services, improving infrastructure, and enriching the cultural and spiritual journey for pilgrims. The program explained that it is implementing 89 diverse initiatives in cooperation with more than 40 government agencies, achieving a 95 percent compliance rate. This is part of an integrated system covering all stages of the pilgrims' journey, from transportation and its facilities to performing rituals, all the way to enriching the cultural experience with visits to historical and archaeological sites. In terms of improving the visitor experience, the report indicated that Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah received more than 13 million visitors in 2024, compared to 4 million in 2022. Visitor satisfaction rates increased from 57 percent to 81 percent, indicating the development of the user experience and the quality of services provided. The number of volunteers serving the pilgrims reached more than 153,000 in 2024, exceeding the targets for the same year in a qualitative leap. In 2022, the number of volunteers did not exceed 15,000, confirming the growing community awareness and spirit of participation in serving the pilgrims. Internationally, 33 foreign visits, led by the program and with the participation of entities working in the pilgrimage service system from the public and private sectors such as airlines, and Hajj and Umrah service providers, have contributed to overcoming obstacles facing the arrival of pilgrims and visitors. These visits resulted in practical solutions that strengthened international cooperation in this field, removed many obstacles, and opened dozens of international destinations, helping to increase the seating capacity for transporting pilgrims and facilitate procedures. The program's efforts also included developing digital platforms. The Nusuk platform provides more than 100 services to users. The Makkah Route initiative has served more than 940,000 beneficiaries since its launch, and the Enaya centers have provided services to approximately 3 million beneficiaries. The Nusuk app has been developed to become the most prominent and important app for millions of Muslims around the world. For his part, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah highlighted the pivotal role of the Nusuk app, which has been developed to become the most prominent and important app for millions of Muslims around the world. He explained that the Nusuk card was a milestone in the 1445 Hajj season, and that the experience of visiting Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif at the Prophet's Mosque marked a historic milestone, with nearly 13 million Muslims able to visit it last year. "The joy was doubled by the rehabilitation and preparation of 15 historical sites linked to the Prophet's biography in Makkah and Madinah," he said. Al-Rabiah commended the tremendous efforts of approximately 153,000 volunteers, who reflected the morals of the authentic Saudi Muslim in serving the guests of God during the Hajj and Umrah seasons with passion, dedication, honesty, and sincerity. The minister emphasized that these achievements are the result of the combined efforts of more than 40 partner entities, who lead and implement the initiatives out of a sense of religious and national responsibility. He thanked them for their contributions and looked forward to even greater achievements in 2025. The minister noted that this effort is supported by the tireless and distinguished work of the Doyof Al-Rahman Program team, extending his gratitude and appreciation to them.
Arab News
27-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Madinah's economy expands as logistics, tourism, and tech sectors grow
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's Madinah region saw its logistics services sector grow 54 percent year on year in 2024, underscoring the city's growing role as a transport and trade hub, according to the latest official data. Figures from the Ministry of Commerce also revealed that the region's commercial activity expanded 37 percent from 2018 to 2024, with registered business licenses reaching 86,000 last year. Madinah's rise as a logistics center is fueled by its robust infrastructure, including three airports, an extensive highway network connecting five regions, the Haramain High-Speed Railway, and two major ports — one commercial and one industrial. These facilities supported nearly $1.1 billion in non-oil exports and over $1.4 billion in imports in 2021. The region's broader economy also experienced strong growth, with the hotel sector reporting a 42 percent annual increase in 2024, while tourism-related businesses, including organized trip activities, grew by 33 percent. The technology sector also expanded, with computer programming services growing 28 percent, while date drying, packaging, and manufacturing climbed 14 percent year on year. This comes as consumer spending in the region continues to rise, with point-of-sale transactions reaching SR536.89 million ($143 million) in the week ending Feb. 22, signaling steady retail growth and stable inflation. The Madinah region has maintained strong demand growth from 2020 to 2024, underscoring its investment appeal, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The region's development aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030, which aims to transform Madinah into a key investment and cultural hub. In February, the Madinah Region Development Authority reported improvements in quality of life, economic growth, and cultural initiatives. The region ranked 88th globally in Euromonitor International's 2024 Top 100 City Destinations Index and seventh in the Tourism Performance Index, with 3,200 locations registered in the National Urban Heritage Register. Saudi Arabia has also eased restrictions on foreign investments in real estate, allowing international investors to buy shares in Saudi-listed firms that own property in Makkah and Madinah, a move expected to drive further capital inflows into the region. Madinah's digital transformation efforts are also gaining traction, with the Al-Madinah Smart City initiative climbing 11 places in the International Institute for Management Development's Smart City Index, ranking 74th globally, up from 85th in 2023.
Arab News
05-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Quality of life, economy, culture in Madinah improving under Vision 2030, authority says
RIYADH: Quality of life, the economy and culture in Madinah are improving under Vision 2030, according to the Madinah Region Development Authority. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, officials from the authority said they are aiming to highlight regional achievements and the transformation taking place there. Ihab Salem, chief strategy officer at Madinah Region Development Authority, said: 'With the support of the emir of the region, we will achieve (Vision 2030 goals) through all relevant sectors of work in the region. 'This also helps in achieving developmental mobility, economic growth, and increasing investment opportunities and local content in the Madinah region, thus opening many opportunities for male and female entrepreneurs in various sectors.' Economically, local gross domestic product reached SR118 billion ($31 billion) in 2023, with SR53 billion in foreign investment, while the second quarter of 2024 saw a decrease in unemployment. Tourism is the rise, with 18 million visitors to the region in 2024. Visitors stayed an average of 10 days in 2023. The region was ranked 88 globally on Euromonitor International's 2024 index of the world's top 100 city destinations, ranked seven globally on the Tourism Performance Index, and 3,200 locations are registered in the National Urban Heritage Register. It was recently announced that foreigners can now invest in Saudi-listed companies owning real estate in Makkah and Madinah, following a landmark decision by the Saudi Capital Market Authority. Al-Madinah Smart City has also gained a number of achievements, including an advancement in 11 ranks in the International Institute for Management Development Smart City Index, ranking 74th globally after ranking 85th in 2023, alongside a number of other milestones. Other notable initiatives implemented in collaboration with the Vision Realization Program include the King Salman Project to expand Quba Mosque, which aims to expand the area tenfold and develop 57 historical sites to reach a capacity of 66,000 worshipers; and the Dar Al-Hijra project in Madinah, which aims to retrace the steps of the Prophet Muhammad's journey. Madinah is considered one of the most accessible regions in the Kingdom through land, sea and air. Its three airports transported 10 million passengers in 2024, across more than 72,000 flights operated by 77 airlines to 36 local and international destinations. Public buses in Madinah now have 123 stations, and the Haramain High Speed Railway Depot has transported 9 million passengers, according to the authority. Salem added that a number of projects can be attributed to private investors and entities like Maqsad Quba, Jabal Ayr and As Safiyyah Museum & Park. The authority is highlighting Madinah's economic diversification through the agriculture and mining industries, its global connectivity through tourism and cultural heritage offerings, and the vision achieved by its residents in the health, education private and nonprofit sectors. Officials said that 58 initiatives have been launched under the Pilgrim Experience Program, 104 under the Quality of Life Program and 30 under the National Industrial Development and Logistics Program.
