Hajj 2025: Nearly 666,000 pilgrims arrive in Saudi Arabia

Cairo: Nearly 666,000 overseas pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia so far to undertake the rites of the annual Hajj pilgrimage rites due early next month, according to official figures.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj said the number of pilgrims arriving from abroad until Tuesday totalled 665,722.

Most pilgrims arrived by air, representing 642,148 while those coming by sea and land numbered 2,821 and 20,753 respectively, according to the ministry.

Operations welcoming the faithful are proceeding smoothly amid cooperation and coordination among all relevant agencies in the kingdom, said the ministry, adding that the numbers of the pilgrims will peak in the coming days.

Around 1.8 million Muslims from outside and inside the kingdom last year performed Hajj, an obligatory Islamic duty.

Saudi authorities are implementing a programme aimed to fast-track departure and arrival procedures linked to Hajj for pilgrims from specific countries.

Officially dubbed the "Mecca Route" Initiative, the scheme was fully implemented in 2018, a year after it was launched on a trial basis.

The initiative has contributed to facilitating the hosting of pilgrims and providing high-quality services to the beneficiaries through qualified personnel at 11 airports in seven countries.

"Mecca Route" is already applied to pilgrims from Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Morocco, Bangladesh, Turkey and Cote d’Ivoire.

The scheme aims to streamline services to the pilgrims from these countries by finalizing their procedures in the homeland, starting with taking their biometrics and issuing Hajj visas electronically, through completing passport measures, after verifying all health requirements are met. Other facilities include tagging and sorting out luggage at the departure airports.

On arrival in Saudi Arabia, those pilgrims head directly to their residences in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina on buses moving on designated routes while their luggage are delivered right to their accommodation places.

This approach seeks to save time and effort as well as enhance the quality of services provided for them.