Cairo: Saudi Arabia plans to hold the first edition of a forum on Umrah or minor pilgrimage in the holy city of Medina next April with the participation of local and foreign stakeholders in the sector.
The April 22-24 forum will be organised by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in conjunction with the kingdom’s Guests of God Service Programme.
The event will feature dialogue sessions, workshops and a roadshow of the most up-to-date services and innovative solutions provided for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
Participants will discuss challenges and chances in the Umrah sector, and make recommendations on how to enhance experiences of pilgrims and visitors to the two holy mosques in Mecca and Medina.
Envisaged as an all-out business platform for local and foreign institutions engaged in the Umrah sector, the forum aims to upgrade services offered to pilgrims, catalyse partnerships and forge sustainable links among those institutions.
They include government agencies, Umrah companies, hotels, transport, logistics and healthcare service providers, banks, insurers and suppliers.
The number of Umrah pilgrims hit record 13.5 million last year, Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al Rabiah said last month.
Medina is home to the Prophet’s Mosque, Islam’s second holiest place. After performing Umrah rites at the Grand Mosque, Islam’s holiest site, in Mecca, many pilgrims would flock to Medina to offer prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque and visit other Islamic landmarks in the city.
More than 280 million Muslims prayed at the Prophet’s Mosque last year, according to official figures.
Saudi Arabia expects around 10 million Muslims from abroad to perform Umrah during the current season that began nearly seven months ago.
Over recent months, the kingdom has introduced a slew of facilities to Muslims wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah.
