RIYADH — The total number of pilgrims who performed Umrah during the first quarter of 2025 crossed 15 million. According to the statistical bulletin released on Thursday by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), these include more than six million foreign pilgrims and over eight million domestic pilgrims. Saudis constitute 24 percent of the total pilgrims, reaching 15,222,497, who performed Umrah during this period. Among these pilgrims males represented 60.5 percent while women accounted for 39.5 percent. The GASTAT bulletin showed that Umrah pilgrims arriving from abroad reached 6,523,630, an increase of 10.7 percent compared with the first quarter of 2024. Of the foreign pilgrims, 82.2 percent arrived by air. The number of domestic pilgrims stood at 8,698,867, of whom non-Saudis made up 58 percent. The bulletin showed that January 2025 recorded the highest number of Umrah pilgrims from abroad, reaching 36.5 percent of the total, while March saw the lowest. The number of domestic pilgrims peaked in March at 80.9 percent, with January being the lowest. The figures showed that the total number of visitors to Madinah reached 6,452,696 during the first quarter of 2025, including 4,412,689 visitors from abroad. The GASTAT releases statistical figures with regard to the number of pilgrims coming from within the Kingdom and outside to perform Umrah and visit the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah on a quarterly basis since 2024. The figures are mainly based on field surveys and administrative data from the Pilgrim Experience Program and the Ministry of Tourism, in addition to approved statistical sources. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced on July 31 that more than 1.2 million pilgrims had entered Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah from 109 countries around the world during the two-week period since the start of the new Umrah Season on June 11 until July 25. The ministry explained at the time that the recent period witnessed a 30 percent increase in the number of pilgrims entering the country with an Umrah visa, compared to the same period last year, and a 27 percent increase in the number of Umrah visas issued. In addition, more than 4,200 contracts were signed between Umrah companies and external agents, enhancing the operational readiness of the system to receive pilgrims. The launching of the Nusuk Umrah service by Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on Wednesday will be a further boost in the arrival of foreign pilgrims. This service will enable foreign pilgrims to directly apply for an Umrah visa and book services online without intermediaries.
