Saudi Gazette report
RIYADH — A complete of 18.5 million pilgrims from numerous elements of the world carried out Hajj and Umrah throughout the 12 months 2024. An awesome majority of those pilgrims, 16.92 million in quantity, got here to carry out Umrah, based on the statistical figures launched by the Doyof Al-Rahman Program in its 2024 report.
This determine of Umrah pilgrims exceeded the goal for the final 12 months, representing a development price of 101 p.c in comparison with 2022. This displays the combination of efforts and the smoothness of procedures, this system identified.
In world index rankings, Makkah ranked fifth globally by way of the variety of worldwide guests, and Madinah jumped to seventh globally within the Tourism Efficiency Index, reflecting the Kingdom’s main place as a non secular and vacationer vacation spot.
“Doyof Al Rahman” is a program initiated by Saudi Arabia beneath the umbrella of Imaginative and prescient 2030, aiming to reinforce the expertise of pilgrims visiting Makkah and Madinah for Hajj and Umrah. This system focuses on streamlining providers, enhancing infrastructure, and enriching the cultural and non secular journey for pilgrims.
This system defined that it’s implementing 89 various initiatives in cooperation with greater than 40 authorities businesses, reaching a 95 p.c compliance price. That is a part of an built-in system masking all levels of the pilgrims’ journey, from transportation and its amenities to performing rituals, all the best way to enriching the cultural expertise with visits to historic and archaeological websites.
When it comes to enhancing the customer expertise, the report indicated that Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif on the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah acquired greater than 13 million guests in 2024, in comparison with 4 million in 2022. Customer satisfaction charges elevated from 57 p.c to 81 p.c, indicating the event of the consumer expertise and the standard of providers offered.
The variety of volunteers serving the pilgrims reached greater than 153,000 in 2024, exceeding the targets for a similar 12 months in a qualitative leap. In 2022, the variety of volunteers didn’t exceed 15,000, confirming the rising group consciousness and spirit of participation in serving the pilgrims.
Internationally, 33 international visits, led by this system and with the participation of entities working within the pilgrimage service system from the private and non-private sectors equivalent to airways, and Hajj and Umrah service suppliers, have contributed to overcoming obstacles going through the arrival of pilgrims and guests. These visits resulted in sensible options that strengthened worldwide cooperation on this discipline, eliminated many obstacles, and opened dozens of worldwide locations, serving to to extend the seating capability for transporting pilgrims and facilitate procedures.
This system’s efforts additionally included growing digital platforms. The Nusuk platform supplies greater than 100 providers to customers. The Makkah Route initiative has served greater than 940,000 beneficiaries since its launch, and the Enaya facilities have offered providers to roughly 3 million beneficiaries.
The Nusuk app has been developed to turn into essentially the most distinguished and vital app for tens of millions of Muslims around the globe. For his half, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah highlighted the pivotal position of the Nusuk app, which has been developed to turn into essentially the most distinguished and vital app for tens of millions of Muslims around the globe. He defined that the Nusuk card was a milestone within the 1445 Hajj season, and that the expertise of visiting Al-Rawdah Al-Sharif on the Prophet’s Mosque marked a historic milestone, with practically 13 million Muslims in a position to go to it final 12 months. “The enjoyment was doubled by the rehabilitation and preparation of 15 historic websites linked to the Prophet’s biography in Makkah and Madinah,” he stated.
Al-Rabiah counseled the super efforts of roughly 153,000 volunteers, who mirrored the morals of the genuine Saudi Muslim in serving the friends of God throughout the Hajj and Umrah seasons with ardour, dedication, honesty, and sincerity.
The minister emphasised that these achievements are the results of the mixed efforts of greater than 40 accomplice entities, who lead and implement the initiatives out of a way of non secular and nationwide accountability. He thanked them for his or her contributions and seemed ahead to even larger achievements in 2025. The minister famous that this effort is supported by the tireless and distinguished work of the Doyof Al-Rahman Program crew, extending his gratitude and appreciation to them.