Ministry of Hajj and Umrah Highlights Its Key Efforts in Serving Pilgrims During 2025
وزارة الحج والعمرة تستعرض أبرز جهودها في خدمة ضيوف الرحمن خلال 2025م
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reviewed the outcomes of its major efforts during 2025, affirming that these results stemmed from an integrated institutional work focusing on enhancing service quality, operational efficiency, and elevating the pilgrims’ experience at all stages of their spiritual journey. This was achieved thanks to the guidance of the wise leadership and in line with the objectives of the Guests of the Two Holy Mosques Service Program, part of Saudi Vision 2030. The Ministry explained that these achievements resulted from the integration of roles among relevant entities, expansion in innovative solutions and modern technologies, which supported operational sustainability and increased system readiness for the Hajj and Umrah seasons. Early and organized preparation for the Hajj season begins immediately after the previous season ends, following clear and defined timelines, enhancing pilgrims’ experience through higher-quality and flexible services, reducing time and effort, and improving satisfaction levels throughout their journey. The Ministry noted that 2025 witnessed a more than twofold increase in the number of pilgrims compared to the past three years, with a satisfaction rate of 94%, and achieving over 92% in the Umrah service quality index for 1447 H so far. The general satisfaction index for Hajj in the past season 1446 H rose from 74% in 2022 to 91%, alongside over 92% in the overall quality index for Hajj services. In terms of international cooperation, early reservation of camps for more than one million pilgrims was completed with the support of the contracting accelerator during the 5th Hajj Conference and Exhibition, more than 40 days ahead of the deadline for basic service package contracts. Agreements for pilgrim affairs were signed with 77 Hajj offices twice during the year: first during the 4th Hajj Conference and Exhibition in January 2025 for Hajj 1446 H, and second during the 5th edition in November 2025 for Hajj 1447 H. In the media and awareness domain, country-specific awareness kits were implemented, designed to account for cultural and behavioral differences among pilgrims from different nations. Twenty awareness kits were prepared in 14 languages, with more than 135 pages per guide, achieving a reach and content targeting rate of 94% of pilgrims from abroad. In digital transformation, over 12.4 million Umrah visas were issued to beneficiaries from 172 countries via the “Nusuk Masar” platform. The Nusuk app exceeded 40 million users, becoming the largest in the Kingdom. The Nusuk card served over 1.6 million pilgrims during Hajj 1446 H, with 5 million scans, aiding crowd management and service facilitation. The Ministry achieved a 73% efficiency level in website and digital content indicators, ranking first in the annual Digital Government Authority assessment, alongside earning six consecutive international ISO certifications for digital service quality and governance. In humanitarian and social initiatives, the Happiness Team implemented over 3,000 field initiatives benefiting about 350,000 pilgrims. “Nusuk Care” centers, through more than 300 service points in Makkah and the holy sites, reduced cases of lost pilgrims by 68% and provided direct support. More than 8,400 field rounds improved the experience for over 270,000 pilgrims, achieving an 87% coverage rate through on-site monitoring and immediate problem-solving. In training and capacity building, the Ministry conducted extensive programs covering over 319,000 training seats for personnel serving pilgrims during Hajj 1446 H, across government, private, and non-profit sectors. Over one million training seats for pilgrims were implemented in 30 countries and 12 languages, reflecting the Ministry’s commitment to preparedness and awareness before arrival in the Kingdom. The Ministry strengthened its position in innovation and institutional excellence by obtaining recognition as an advanced-level innovative government organization from the Global Innovation Institute (GInI) and receiving several international awards in digitization, asset and facility management, and customer insights analytics. It was ranked among the top six government entities in the national data index “Nudee” and, for the third consecutive time, received the creativity stage award at the Digital Government Forum, along with the Employee Engagement Award. The Ministry concluded by confirming the continuation of efforts and work in serving pilgrims, following a sustainable development approach based on inter-agency integration, deployment of digital solutions, and promotion of innovation, ensuring a rich and facilitated experience for pilgrims while reinforcing Saudi Arabia’s global leadership in serving the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors under the guidance of the wise leadership.