Saudi Arabia continues to welcome the guests of Rahman for Hajj season 1447 AH, where the number of pilgrims who have arrived in the holy lands has exceeded 860,000 pilgrims so far, with the continuous influx of delegations from more than 126 countries around the world.

Number of Pilgrims by Entry Points

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah revealed during the government press conference that more than 820,000 pilgrims arrived through air entry points, about 35,000 through land entry points, and more than 4,000 pilgrims by sea. Additionally, approximately 240,000 pilgrims benefited from the “Road to Makkah” initiative, which facilitates entry procedures from their countries.

Digital Services and Infrastructure Development

Al-Rabiah confirmed that the Kingdom has mobilized all its capabilities to serve the pilgrims within Vision 2030. The “Nusuk” application continues to play its role as a global digital platform with more than 51 million users, offering more than 130 digital services this season.

Among the key developments:

  • Direct booking for pilgrims from 126 countries without intermediaries
  • “Pilgrim Without a Bag” initiative — shipping luggage from the pilgrim’s country to their accommodation
  • Reducing airport procedures completion time from 120 minutes to just 15 minutes
  • More than 25 developmental projects in the infrastructure of Makkah and the Sacred Sites

Humanitarian Moments

This season is witnessing touching scenes, from welcoming Sudanese pilgrims with coffee and roses, to a Saudi driver greeting Turkish pilgrims with the Turkish song “Haji Haji,” and stories of determination from Syrian wounded and injured who arrived in Makkah to perform the rituals after years of suffering.

New Logistics Initiatives

In a related context, Saudi Arabia continues to enhance the transportation and logistics sector. The General Authority for Ports “Mawani” launched new shipping services in the Red Sea connecting Jeddah with Salalah, Djibouti, Aqaba, and Ain Sokhna, as part of the Kingdom’s plans to expand global trade alternatives away from the Strait of Hormuz.

Source: Saudi Press Agency (SPA) and Ministry of Hajj and Umrah