Saudi Arabia secures 1.3 million beds for 2027 Hajj, removes 400 buildings over safety concerns

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has secured more than 1.3 million beds for the 2027 Hajj season, licensing thousands of accommodation buildings in Mecca and Medina while removing around 400 properties that failed to meet safety and service standards.

Ahmed Al Khateeb, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Tourism, announced the figures on Monday at the Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah, outlining preparations for the 1448 AH pilgrimage season.

He said approximately 4,000 accommodation buildings had been made available across the two holy cities, providing a combined capacity of 400,000 rooms.

Temporary accommodation facilities have also provided around 560,000 beds, expanding the options available to pilgrims during one of the world's largest annual religious gatherings.

Al Khateeb confirmed that the designated accommodation buildings had completed the licensing process by Sunday, highlighting efforts to ensure facilities were ready well before the pilgrimage.

The minister noted that the combined room capacity in Mecca and Medina was comparable to the accommodation supply available in only about 10 per cent of countries worldwide.

400 buildings removed over safety and service standards

Despite the expansion, Saudi authorities have excluded approximately 400 buildings from pilgrim accommodation after inspections identified failures to meet essential requirements.

Al Khateeb explained that the Ministry of Tourism, which assumed responsibility for overseeing Hajj accommodation last year, had focused on two priorities: providing sufficient capacity and ensuring high-quality services.

Working with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and under the supervision of the Supreme Hajj Committee, authorities assessed buildings for structural safety and the quality of accommodation services.

The inspections, conducted in coordination with Civil Defence, covered structural integrity, emergency exits, safety readiness and the suitability of facilities for licensed pilgrim accommodation.

Al Khateeb stressed that accommodation quality was critical to the overall pilgrimage experience, explaining that poor living conditions could undermine satisfaction even when airport and transport services performed well.

Hajj pilgrim satisfaction reaches 93 per cent

Separately, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah announced that satisfaction with services provided to Hajj pilgrims had reached 93 per cent.

The figure relates to the 1447 AH pilgrimage season in 2026 and follows years of efforts to improve transport, accommodation and services at the holy sites.

Al Rabiah attributed the progress to coordination involving more than 60 government and operational entities and the review and implementation of approximately 600 work plans.

He highlighted improvements under the Pilgrim Experience Program, launched in 2019, which aims to facilitate access to the Two Holy Mosques, improve service quality and enrich pilgrims' religious and cultural experiences.

The programme has also exceeded its 90 per cent target for the Umrah pilgrim experience.

Al Rabiah explained that authorities continue to monitor several performance indicators, including the number of Umrah pilgrims, international accessibility and overall visitor satisfaction.

He also outlined efforts to develop historical, Islamic and cultural sites in Mecca and Medina, alongside improvements to the wider Hajj and Umrah services system.