المملكة: Makkah Road Initiative .. A qualitative shift in facilitating the travel procedures
Within the framework of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the development of the Hajj and Umrah services system, an initiative emerges " Makkah Road " As one of the most prominent initiatives of the Ministry of Interior within the program of service of guests of Rahman, one of the executive programs for the Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to facilitate the procedures of pilgrims from their countries, and to provide an integrated spiritual and human experience from the moment of their departure until their arrival in Makkah Al -Mukarramah and Madinah." target ="_Blank"> The initiative , the guests of Rahman can perform their rituals without the trouble of complex procedures, in an experience that expresses the extent of the Kingdom’s commitment to the generosity of hospitality, the quality of the organization, and the maximization of the pilgrimage, within the framework of an ambitious national vision that establishes a better future for Hajj and Umrah. Media,
the General Authority for Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (Saya), the General Endowments Authority, the guest service program, and the General Directorate of Passports.
Features of the Makkah Road Initiative
It is considered The Makkah Road Initiative is a pioneering project aimed at facilitating the procedures for entering pilgrims into the Kingdom from the airports of their countries, through an integrated series of services that include:
– Electronic visa version.
– Register vital properties.
– Check the health requirements.
– Ending passport procedures in the country of departure.
– Coding and sorting luggage according to transportation and housing arrangements.
– Transfer pilgrims directly from the airport to the accommodation places in custom tracks.
– Delivery of luggage to the places of housing by the competent authorities.
All of this takes place before the pilgrim arrives in the Kingdom, which saves him long hours of waiting at the border ports, and reduces the time of the procedures to only a few minutes.
Experimental start and geographical expansion
The experimental phase of the Makkah Road initiative started in 2018, to enter into full implementation in 2019, targeting 7 countries: Morocco, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Cote d’Ivoire."Text-Align: Jusify"> In 2023, the number of beneficiaries of the initiative reached 242,272 pilgrims, distributed as follows:
– Bangladesh: 44.9%
– Indonesia: 19.7%
– Malaysia: 13.1%
– Pakistan: 10.8%
– Morocco: 4.7%
– Türkiye: 4.2%
– Côte d’Ivoire: 2.6%
The initiative also recorded 667 flights during the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, and Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina.
More than a million pilgrims
On May 18, the Ministry of Interior announced that the number of beneficiaries of the Makkah Road Initiative has exceeded one million pilgrims since its inception, which reflects the large impact of this initiative in improving the pilgrimage experience, and indicates the integration of government efforts in this qualitative project.
Technical services and national cadres
The success of the initiative reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to providing high -level hospitality services to the guests of Rahman, through trained national cadres, which speak in several languages and use the latest technologies to facilitate procedures and enhance comfort and safety for pilgrims.
The initiative services extend from 11 international airports in the beneficiary countries, to form a role model in the management of crowds and facilitating travel and hospitality."Text-Align: Jusify"> Flight stations
– Taking the vital characteristics of the guests of the Most Merciful benefiting from the initiative, and ensuring that health requirements and preventive requirements are available for them and obtain the Hajj visa electronically.
– Sorting and coding luggage by registering it in the name of its owner at the boot stations, and issuing the boarding card.
– End their entry procedures to the Kingdom in the hall designated for the initiative from the passport team, before taking off from the airports of their countries, and the boarding of the plane to go to the arrival plants in Jeddah and Madinah Governorate.
– The guests of Rahman arrived at the hall designated for the initiative in the Kingdom, and transferred them to the headquarters of their residence directly.
– Hand over their luggage in their residence directly without the need to wait for them at the arrival station.
The initiative in Hajj 1445 AH
The initiative was implemented in the year 1445/2024 through special halls in (11) airports in (7) countries: the partner parties
– Morocco: Mohamed V International Airport in Casablanca.
– Bangladesh: Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport in Dhaka.
– Indonesia: Sukarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, Gwanda International Airport in Surabaya, and Addisomemo International Airport in Solo.
– Türkiye: Isnbuga International Airport in Ankara, and Istanbul International Airport.
– Malaysia: Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
– Pakistan: Islamabad International Airport, Jinnah International Airport in Karachi.
Years of implementation of the initiative
– 1438 AH / 2017 AD: Malaysia.
1439 AH / 2018 AD: Malaysia and Indonesia.
1440 AH / 2019 AD: Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Tunisia and Bangladesh.
1443 AH / 2022 AD: Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco and Bangladesh.
1444 AH / 2023 AD: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and Cote d’Ivoire."Text-Align: Jusify"> 1445 AH / 2024 AD: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey and Cote d’Ivoire."Text-Align: Jusify"> 1446 AH /2025 CE: Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Turkey and Cote d’Ivoire.
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