More than 19.5 million Hajj pilgrims and Umrah performers from abroad arrived in Saudi Arabia during 2025, including 18.03 million Umrah performers and 1.5 million Hajj pilgrims.
The number of Umrah performers increased by 114% compared with 2022, representing a significant achievement that reflects the ecosystem’s readiness and the efficiency of the services provided, said the Pilgrim Experience Program (PEP), one of Saudi Vision 2030 realisation programmes, a Saudi Press Agency report said.
In its 2025 Annual Report under the theme “Honor and Impact,” it highlighted the most notable achievements of the Pilgrim Experience ecosystem and the outcomes of its initiatives and projects in continuously developing the services provided to pilgrims, Umrah performers, and visitors.
The report stated that the PEP implemented 87 initiatives in 2025 in partnership with more than 60 implementing entities, achieving a 100% compliance rate in initiative implementation.
Despite continued growth in visitor numbers, the indicators of pilgrim experience satisfaction remained high. Hajj pilgrim satisfaction reached 91%, while Umrah performer satisfaction reached 94%, exceeding the Saudi Vision 2030 targets for both indicators.
In addition, Al-Rawdah Al-Sharifah welcomed more than 16 million visitors in 2025, while visitor satisfaction increased to 88%, up from 57% in 2022. These results demonstrate the impact of the efforts undertaken to improve services and facilitate the performance of rituals in accordance with the highest standards of quality and efficiency, it said.
As part of efforts to enrich the religious and cultural experience, the report stated that the number of developed and visitor-ready historical sites and enrichment destinations in Makkah and Madinah increased to 87, attracting more than 55 million visits. This milestone enriches the pilgrims' experience and strengthens their connection to Islamic historical heritage.
Regarding enhancing community participation, the report recorded 184,569 male and female volunteers serving pilgrims and visitors in 2025. This reflects the growing culture of volunteerism among the people of the Kingdom and highlights its pivotal role in improving service quality.
The Kingdom also achieved advanced positions in international rankings. Makkah ranked fifth globally in the index of cities receiving the highest numbers of international visitors, while Madinah ranked seventh globally in the Tourism Performance Index.
As part of the continued development of digital services, the report indicated that a total of 15.03 million visas, including Umrah, visit, and other categories were issued, with Umrah visas accounting for 83% of the total. Pakistan, Indonesia, and Egypt were the leading countries in terms of Umrah visa arrivals, reflecting the integration of efforts to facilitate pilgrims' and visitors' journeys and enhance their overall experience.
