The Fourth Hajj and Umrah Services Conference and Exhibition began on Monday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, marking a significant milestone in the kingdom’s efforts to enhance the pilgrimage experience.
Makkah Deputy Governor Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz inaugurated the event, which drew attendees from 87 countries, including Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, Islamic ministers, ambassadors, and representatives.
According to Al-Rabiah, a record-breaking 18,535,689 individuals performed Hajj or Umrah in Makkah and Madinah in 2024, comprising 16,924,689 Umrah performers and 1,611,310 Hajj pilgrims.
The four-day conference, themed “The Road to the Nusuk,” features over 300 local and international organizations showcasing innovative technologies and services to enhance the Hajj and Umrah experience. Key topics include logistics, transportation, crowd management, housing, hospitality, and catering.
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The event includes 47 discussion sessions, 50 workshops, and more than 130 local and international speakers addressing sustainability, eco-friendly technologies, AI in crowd management, and digital solutions. Opportunities for startups and innovators in the Hajj sector are also being highlighted.
Saed Al-Jahni, chairman of the Coordination Council for Domestic Pilgrims Service Facilities, emphasized that the event reflects Saudi Vision 2030’s goal to provide top-tier services to pilgrims.
On the sidelines of the conference, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement allowing 179,210 Pakistani pilgrims to perform Hajj this year. Similar agreements were also signed with India and Indonesia, enabling 175,025 and 221,000 pilgrims, respectively, to perform the pilgrimage.
The conference also features a hackathon, “Humanizing the Holy Sites,” organized by Umm Al-Qura University, which aims to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to improve the pilgrim experience while reducing environmental impact. A ministerial session will be held to discuss new and ongoing services, projects, and initiatives designed to improve the pilgrim journey.
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