Umrah Pilgrims Expected for 2025 at 15 Million

Saudi Arabia is expecting to welcome 15 million Umrah pilgrims in 2025.

According to a report by Saudi Arabia’s Guests of God Service Programme, this will be the positive outcome of the government’s efforts to attract more pilgrims to the two holiest Islamic sites. This development reflects an increase from the pilgrimage’s pre-pandemic levels in 2019 of approximately 8.5 million Umrah pilgrims.

In line with this, Saudi authorities have been building additional infrastructure and introducing cutting-edge technology to enhance digital services for pilgrims.

For instance, 15 cultural and Islamic sites in Mecca and Medina will be renovated. Moreover, the Guests of God Service Programme plans on welcoming 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030. On top of this, it also aims to renovate 40 religious sites by the same year. This is according to Saudi periodical Okaz.

Top nationalities among Umrah pilgrims

Over 2 million Pakistanis were among the pilgrims who performed Umrah in 2023. This was followed by Egypt with 1.7 million and Indonesia with 1.4 million Umrah pilgrims.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has introduced changes for Umrah pilgrims. For instance, the Saudi government has extended the Umrah visa duration of stay from 30 to 90 days. To add, it now permits pilgrims to enter via air, land, and sea ports. Moreover, female Umrah pilgrims no longer need male guardians to escort them.

The different Saudi visas that allow the performance of Umrah also permit holders to make an electronic booking to visit the location of the Prophet Mohammad’s tomb, Al Rawda Al Sharifa.

In addition, Saudi citizens may also invite family and friends to go to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.

In June 2024, Saudi authorities announced it would re-open the issuance of visas for Umrah.

About the Guests of God Service Programme

The Guests of God Service Programme is an initiative that concentrates on receiving sizeable numbers of Umrah pilgrims. It is also responsible for helping facilitate pilgrims’ access to the Two Holy Mosques. They must also ensure that pilgrims get to experience high-tech quality digital services. Moreover, they must make sure pilgrims get to go home safely after the pilgrimages.

King Salman inaugurated the program in 2019 as one of the kingdom’s primary reform plans under the Saudi Vision 2030.

The program’s official website states that the programme once operated under the name of Pilgrim Experience Program.

It “…also seeks to provide the pilgrims with a rich and ever-lasting experience by making necessary arrangements in the Haramain (the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Al-Madinah), to actualize Islam’s universal message, to prepare the tourist and cultural destinations, and to deliver high-quality services before, during and after their visit to Makkah, Al-Madinah and holy places.”

“Additionally, the program reflects the honorable and civilized image of Saudi Arabia in serving the Two Holy Mosques and the guests of Allah.

Photo by Era Saputera on Unsplash