Conclusion of the Third Edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum in Madinah Madinah

The activities of the third edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum concluded today. The forum was held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Madinah Region, and organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in partnership with the Pilgrim Experience Program, from March 30 to April 1, at the King Salman International Convention Center in Madinah.

During its three days, the forum witnessed extensive local and international participation and a remarkable presence from around the world, as the number of registrants exceeded 50,000 from 165 countries. This embodies the growing status of the forum as a leading international platform that contributes to elevating the Umrah and Ziyarah service ecosystem and drives a qualitative transformation in the experience of Umrah performers and visitors.

Regarding partnerships, the agreements area witnessed the signing of more than 5,400 agreements and memoranda of cooperation between government, private, and non-profit entities, with an increase rate exceeding 25% compared to the previous edition. This reflects the scale of expansion in partnership opportunities and confirms the growing integration between various components of the ecosystem. The forum program also included holding more than 40 specialized workshops, benefiting more than 800 trainees, which discussed overall strategic transformations in the sector, starting from developing business models and increasing operational efficiency, to employing advanced technologies and Artificial Intelligence.

The forum enjoyed the partnership and sponsorship of 56 entities from various sectors, confirming its importance in enhancing the provided services ecosystem. Meanwhile, it hosted 160 speakers who provided knowledge content through 25 scientific sessions and contributed to enriching discussions, exchanging expertise, and reviewing global best practices in crowd management, logistics, hospitality, and digital transformation.

The exhibition accompanying the forum witnessed the participation of more than 150 exhibitors from government entities, service provider companies, and non-profit organizations, over an area exceeding 11,000 square meters. It showcased the latest solutions and services in the transport, hospitality, technology, and logistics sectors, alongside digital solutions and smart applications. The exhibition booths were distributed across a number of specialized tracks that reflected the comprehensiveness of the Umrah and Ziyarah ecosystem, including smart travel platform technologies, operational services, crowd management, and cultural and historical experiences. This was alongside interactive areas simulating historical sites in Madinah and providing knowledge content supported by digital media, enhancing the cultural and enrichment dimension of the Umrah performer and visitor experience.

The convening of the forum comes as an extension of the Kingdom's efforts in developing the Umrah and Ziyarah ecosystem and enhancing its readiness to accommodate the rapid growth in the number of Umrah performers from various countries of the world by enabling innovation, expanding partnerships, and raising the efficiency of services. This consolidates the Kingdom's position as a leading global destination in serving Umrah performers and visitors and reflects the rapid progress witnessed by the sector under the goals of Vision 2030.