Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — As many as 6.3 million pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom until Thursday since the start of the current season in late October last year, according to the Ministry of Haj and Umrah.

In its weekly cumulative indicator, the ministry said the Saudi authorities issued more than 6.8 million Umrah visas to prospective pilgrims so far.

It said 5,669,525 people came to the Kingdom and left the country after performing the minor pilgrimage to Makkah and visiting the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.

As many as 648,882 pilgrims currently remained in the two holy cities — consisting of 463,999 in Makkah completing Umrah rituals and 184,883 in Madinah paying homage to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and praying at his mosque.

The ministry said 5,639,309 pilgrims arrived by air, 593,199 by land and 85,899 by sea.

It said the pilgrims were being served by 10,744 Saudi employees working in the Umrah companies consisting of 8,888 men and 1,856 women.

The ministry said the services being provided to the pilgrims were steadily being developed to keep pace with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which aims to serve about 30 million Umrah pilgrims annually.

According to the ministry, Pakistan, with 1,395,097, topped all other countries in the number of Umrah pilgrims, followed by Indonesia with 907,159 pilgrims.

India sent 606,556 pilgrims, Egypt 449,603, Turkey 295,399, Algeria 287,179, Yemen 281,029, Malaysia 264,497, Iraq 244,746 and Jordan 175,327. — SPA