The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has unveiled a plan to welcome 15 million Muslims to perform Umrah, the minor pilgrimage, by 2025.
The development indicates an increase from the pre-pandemic levels of around 8.5 million Umrah pilgrims in 2019.
The Guests of God Service Program which is a promising initiative aimed at welcoming large numbers of pilgrims is spearheading these efforts.
The program aims to enable more Muslims to come to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah, facilitate the procedures for their arrival, and offer various options for different categories of pilgrims and visitors.
Under the program, pilgrims to Masjid Al-Haram will get world-class facilities, improved infrastructure, and digitised services to ensure a distinguished spiritual experience.
Key initiatives of the Program include
As per its official website, the primary strategic goal is to increase the number of people coming from abroad to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet’s Mosque.
This includes simplifying visa procedures and expanding the necessary capacity to accommodate 30 million pilgrims by 2030 and 15 million by 2025, representing a 77% increase compared to the 8.5 million Umrah pilgrims in 2019.
While achieving this goal, the program prioritises ensuring the security and safety of all pilgrims alongside the targeted increase in their numbers.
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