Saudi Arabia raises its ambitions in the religious tourism sector
During the government press conference, His Excellency the Minister of Media, Mr. Salman Al-Dossari, announced the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to increase the number of Umrah pilgrims coming from outside the Kingdom to more than 18 million by 2025. This announcement comes as an important step within the objectives of “Saudi Vision 2030,” which aims to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as the beating heart of the Islamic world and develop the religious tourism sector in an unprecedented way.
General context: Vision 2030 and the Guests of God Service Program
Serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors is a historic honor and a great responsibility undertaken by the Kingdom. Within the framework of Vision 2030, the “Guests of God Service Program” was launched as one of its most important executive programs. This program aims to enrich and deepen the Hajj and Umrah experience by providing advanced infrastructure and innovative digital services that facilitate the performance of rituals for Muslims from all over the world with ease and convenience. The stated goal of receiving 18 million Umrah pilgrims is not merely a number, but rather an indicator of the massive investments in the expansion projects of the Two Holy Mosques, the development of airports such as King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and the launch of modern transportation networks such as the Haramain High-Speed Railway connecting Makkah and Madinah.
Importance and expected effects
This objective has multiple positive impacts on various levels. Locally , the increased number of Umrah pilgrims will lead to a significant economic boost in the cities of Mecca and Medina and their surrounding areas, creating thousands of jobs in the hospitality, transportation, retail, and logistics sectors. Regionally and internationally , this trend reinforces the Kingdom's position as a global hub for religious tourism and strengthens its ties with Muslim countries. Furthermore, streamlining arrival procedures through platforms like Nusuk and the issuance of electronic visas sends a positive message to the world about the Kingdom's openness and welcoming nature towards pilgrims.
Parallel humanitarian and development efforts
In a related context, Minister Al-Dossari noted that humanitarian giving is a deeply rooted approach for the Kingdom, citing the approval of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, for the launch of the Sixth National Campaign for Charitable Work. He also highlighted the Kingdom's development and relief efforts in the region, including the launch of 48 development projects in Yemen, which underscores the pivotal role the Kingdom plays in supporting stability and development regionally. The press conference also saw participation from other government entities. The President of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) reviewed the role of technology in enabling charitable work through the "Ihsan" platform, while the Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing discussed the transformation journey of the non-profit sector.
