Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, May 09, 2025

Over 6 million pilgrims perform Umrah during current season

Over 6 million pilgrims perform Umrah during current season

Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb described the performance of the Saudi tourism sector during the first quarter of 2023 as unprecedented and historical in terms of the number of visitors and amount of tourism spending.
“Over six million pilgrims have performed Umrah during the current season while the percentage of incoming tourists for the purpose of entertainment and holidays shot up 581 percent in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019, thanks to the simplified electronic visa procedures and remarkable growth in facilities and services in the Kingdom’s tourist destinations,” he said.

The minister made the remarks while attending his monthly meeting with investors in the Saudi tourism sector. Saudi Tourism Authority CEO Fahd Hamidaddin and a large number of stakeholders and investors in the tourism sector from various regions of the Kingdom attended the virtual meeting.

Al-Khateeb stressed that the ministry will never neglect three issues that are at the core of its work, which are high quality, compliance with the necessary licenses to practice the activity, and Saudize jobs in the tourism sector.

The minister emphasized that the results achieved by the Kingdom’s tourism sector during the holy month of Ramadan were amazing and unprecedented. The number of Umrah pilgrims from inside and outside Saudi Arabia has exceeded 6 million, and the occupancy rate in the hospitality sector in Makkah and Madinah recorded historical figures.

“This strong start is promising and encouraging as the ministry is intensifying its efforts and readiness to launch the summer season campaign for this year. All sectors have completed their preparations for a strong and attractive tourism season. More than SR600 million have been allocated to introduce the wonderful tourist destinations all over the Kingdom,” he said.

The meeting reviewed the preliminary results achieved during the first quarter. It was revealed in the meeting that the growth rate of total domestic tourism spending in the first quarter of this year reached 45 percent compared to the first quarter of 2022. “This was supported by the strong start of inbound tourism and the achievement of the highest quarterly number of foreign tourists for all purposes, which is estimated at 7.8 million, with a growth rate of 64 percent compared to the first quarter of 2019. The remarkable progress in the procedures, in addition to tourism promotion in the target countries, as well as the increase in demand for the Umrah visas have contributed to achieving these results,” the minister said.

Al-Khateeb noted that the rate of tourist visitors from the Gulf and the Middle East countries recorded a growth of 107 percent compared to 2019, while the growth rate of tourists from East Asia, especially Indonesia and Malaysia, reached 49 percent, while the rate of those coming from the European countries, especially Turkey, France, Russia, Italy and Germany, reached 50 percent.

Referring to the turnout of visitors from outside the Kingdom, the minister noted that Makkah topped among the destinations with 4.4 million tourists, and Riyadh came second due to the increase in those coming on tourist visas as well as those coming to visit families and friends. Dammam and Al-Khobar achieved a 96 percent increase in the total number of tourists arrived in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period in 2019, and this was attributed mainly to the increase in the number of visitors and tourists from Bahrain and Qatar, for the purposes of entertainment and visiting families and friends.

There has been significant growth, reaching 247 percent, in the inflow of tourist visitors to Jeddah for the purpose of entertainment and visiting families and friends during the first quarter of 2023 while Al-Ahsa topped the growth rate reaching 419 percent during the period with the return of tourism movement from Qatar and the increase in the number of tourist visitors from other Gulf countries.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Common Sense Returns to Britain's Legal System: UK Supreme Court Declares a Woman Is… a Woman
Warren Buffett to Step Down as Berkshire CEO After Nearly 60 Years
Trump Shares AI-Generated Image of Himself as… Pope, Prompting Outrage Reaction
Amazon Launches Satellite Internet Service Amidst Competition with SpaceX
The Rush to the White Gold: Global Investment Surge in Natural Hydrogen Exploration
Trump Administration Removes National Security Adviser Mike Waltz Amid Signal Chat Controversy
Liverpool Clinches Record-Equalling 20th English League Title Under Arne Slot
Massive Explosion at Iran's Bandar Abbas Port Linked to Suspicious Chemical Shipments
Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Rome as World Leaders Attend Funeral
Not Child’s Play: How Competitive Gaming Became a Global Economic Empire
California Surpasses Japan to Become the World’s Fourth-Largest Economy
Former U.S. Congressman George Santos sentenced to eighty-seven months for wide-ranging fraud
Israel Considers Limited Strikes on Iran's Nuclear Facilities Amid Diplomatic Efforts
Saudi Arabia Offers Max Verstappen Unprecedented Deal to Join Aston Martin
Global Pistachio Shortage Amid Rising Demand for 'Dubai Chocolate'
IMF Predicts No Global Recession Amid Trade Tensions
Worldwide Markets Decline as U.S.-China Trade Frictions Intensify
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Investment
Removing the Political Adversary is Dismantling What's Remaining of Turkey's Economy.
Ex-FIFA President and French Football Icon Acquitted of Corruption Allegations
White House Investigates Security Breach After Journalist Accidentally Added to Secret Yemen Strike Chat
Volunteers in Jeddah Ensure No One Goes Hungry During Ramadan Iftar
New Restaurant Opens in Makkah's Iconic Clock Tower for Ramadan Iftar
Saudi Arabia's Project Masam Removes 552 Houthi Mines in Yemen
Saudi Arabia Fines Over 400 Foreign Trucks for Regulatory Violations
Saudi National Campaign for Charitable Work Reports Significant Donations in Ramadan
Historic Al-Hosn Al-Asfal Mosque Restored in Asir as Part of National Heritage Initiative
KSrelief Expands Humanitarian Efforts in Syria, Sudan, and Lebanon
Saudi Arabia Advocates for Global Water Cooperation at Forum
Madinah Governor Tours Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah
Saudi Foreign Minister in Cairo to Lead Meeting on Gaza Developments
Recognition of Saudi and Pakistani Entrepreneurs at Riyadh Ceremony
UAE Announces $1.4 Trillion Investment Plan in the United States
Saudi Arabia Innovates in Soil Quality and Water Conservation
Governor of Taif Engages with Rose and Aromatic Plants Cooperative
Saudi Food and Drug Authority Enhances Preparations for Hajj Season
Saudi Arabia Distributes Aid to Yemen and Romania
Restoration of Historic Al-Qalaah Mosque in Riyadh Underlines Heritage Preservation Efforts
Saudi Arabia Arrests Over 25,000 for Immigration Violations in One Week
UAE’s ADQ and Energy Capital Partners Announce $25 Billion Energy Venture in the U.S.
KSrelief Launches Extensive Ramadan Food Aid Initiative
Ramadan Celebrations Revitalize Historic Jeddah
Makkah Authorities Urge Worshippers to Follow Crowd Management Guidelines
Direct Flights Between Dammam and Damascus Reestablished for Syrian Residents
Saudi Main Index Rises to Close at 11,760 Amid Mixed Market Performance
Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch Visits Prophet's Mosque in Madinah
Cultural Development Fund Hosts Third Annual Storytellers Event in Riyadh
Investment Surge in Fintech, Gaming, and Health Care Across MENA Region
Surging Prices for Religious Tourism in Saudi Arabia Amid Ramadan Rush
Middle Eastern Airlines’ Fleet Projected to Surge Above Global Growth Rates
×