The "Makkah Route" initiative has concluded its work in 10 countries through 17 international ports of departure, after serving 388,694 pilgrims and transporting them to the Kingdom on 1,227 flights to King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madinah, to perform the 1447 AH-2026 Hajj.
The initiative, implemented by the Saudi Ministry of Interior as part of the Pilgrim Experience Program, covered Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Türkiye, Côte d'Ivoire and the Maldives, in addition to Senegal and Brunei Darussalam for the first time, according to a post on the Saudi Press Agency website.
The Makkah Route initiative provided its services through 38 service stations, 60 mobile kits and 120 AI-enhanced mobile counter devices, allowing each pilgrim's entry procedures to be completed within 40 seconds.
The initiative aims to receive the Guests of God and complete their procedures in their home countries before they arrive in the Kingdom, from issuing visas electronically and taking biometrics to completing passport procedures at the departure country's airport after verifying that health requirements are met.
The initiative's procedures also include coding and sorting luggage according to transport and accommodation arrangements in the Kingdom, so that on arrival pilgrims go directly to the buses assigned to take them to their accommodation in Makkah and Madinah, while the competent authorities deliver their luggage to their residences.
The Ministry of Interior is implementing the initiative for the eighth year in cooperation with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Health, Hajj and Umrah, and Media, as well as the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and AI Authority (SDAIA), the General Authority for Awqaf, the Pilgrim Experience Program and the General Directorate of Passports, in integration with digital partner stc Group.
The initiative is part of the Kingdom's efforts to facilitate the journey of the Guests of God and raise the efficiency of operational procedures related to pilgrims' arrival through digital and logistical solutions that help reduce waiting times and improve the experience of arriving in the Kingdom.
To view the post on the Saudi Press Agency website, click here.
