RIYADH — The General Directorate of Passports announced that a total of 1,255,199 pilgrims have arrived from abroad through all of the Kingdom's entry ports by the end of Wednesday. Of these, 1,186,810 pilgrims entered via airports, 63,301 through land ports, and 5,088 arrived by sea. The directorate reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating smooth and efficient entry procedures for the pilgrims by equipping its platforms with the latest technological systems, operated by qualified personnel fluent in multiple languages. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance announced the arrival of the second batch of guests of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Program for Hajj, Umrah and Visit for the year 2025, totaling 1,053 male and female pilgrims from 76 countries around the world. Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and General Supervisor of the Program Sheikh Dr. Abdullatif Al-Sheikh welcomed the guests, emphasizing that hosting them in Saudi Arabia embodies the wise leadership's keenness to care for delegations from the Islamic nation and to present a civilized model of warm welcome, generous hospitality, and integrated organization. The Acting Director General of Passports Maj. Gen. Saleh Al-Murabba inspected the passports department at the Jadidat Arar border crossing to assess the services provided to pilgrims and facilitate their entry procedures. Maj. Gen. Al-Murabba urged the border crossing staff to provide exceptional service and do their utmost to serve the guests of God. The visit is part of an inspection tour to ensure the readiness of land, sea, and air ports to receive the guests of God. The Saudi authorities are making finishing touches to their preparations at the holy sites to facilitate the pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort. Acting CEO of the General Authority for Roads Eng. Badr Al-Dulaimi inspected the innovations of flexible rubber roads and road cooling at the holy sites on Wednesday. These are among the most important innovations offered to serve pilgrims at the holy sites. The flexible rubber roads innovation provides flexible roads made from recycled tires, which contributes to providing highly flexible roads that absorb shocks and stresses for pilgrims. The road cooling innovation reflects sunlight, thus reducing road surface temperatures. During his tour, Eng. Al-Dulaimi inspected a number of road projects in the Makkah region that contribute to serving pilgrims, ensuring their safety and quality. The Ministry of Tourism revealed a huge increase in the number of hospitality facilities that have obtained the necessary licenses to operate in Makkah to serve the pilgrims. The number of licensed facilities has reached more than 1,160, recording a growth rate of 54 percent during the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024.
