Makkah deputy governor opens sixth Hajj Expo in Jeddah under king’s patronage

Under the patronage of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and on his behalf, Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, today inaugurated the sixth edition of the Hajj Conference and Expo at Jeddah Superdome. The event is organized by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah under the theme "From Makkah to the World," in cooperation with the Guests of God Service Program, one of the Vision 2030 initiatives.

The conference was attended by several dignitaries, heads of Hajj missions, and representatives of pilgrim affairs offices from across the Islamic world. The deputy governor toured the accompanying exhibition, viewing the latest technologies, initiatives, and smart solutions for serving pilgrims, and visited the pavilions of participating government, private, and non-profit entities.

He delivered a speech on behalf of King Salman, welcoming attendees and emphasizing the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to developing the Hajj system, adopting advanced technologies, and enhancing coordination among state agencies to facilitate pilgrims’ journeys from departure to return. He noted that the success of Hajj seasons reflects the system’s readiness, and that the Hajj Conference and Expo is a key enabler of this success.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah highlighted major transformations in the Hajj and Umrah sector, including increasing the number of service providers for international pilgrims to 34 companies, expanding direct contracting in 58 countries, enabling pilgrims from 75 additional countries to participate through the direct Hajj program, and early preparations for the 1448 AH season with Hajj offices in 78 countries. He also noted the digital transformation that has brought over 70 million users to the Nusuk platform and a 93% satisfaction rate among pilgrims in 1447 AH.

The opening ceremony featured speeches by heads of Hajj affairs offices, including Dr. Muhammad Irfan Yusuf, Indonesia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah, as well as the launch of the Awareness and Training Forum and the Unified Workers’ Portal.

The deputy governor witnessed the signing of eight agreements and memoranda of understanding, including an agreement between the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Ministry of Education to empower educational talent, another with the Ministry of Tourism to enhance accommodation quality, an MoU with Saudia to establish and operate a pilgrims’ travel station in Makkah, and an agreement with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to foster talent and innovation.

Other agreements included an MoU between King Abdulaziz Endowment for Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah and the Hadiya Association to improve visitor experiences, a strategic partnership between the General Authority for Awqaf, the Guests of God Service Program, and Nusuk Humanitarian Foundation, a partnership agreement between the General Authority for Awqaf and Nusuk Humanitarian Foundation to operate a development projects portfolio, and the "Wasel Al-Haram" project agreement worth 5.6 billion riyals (SAR) to develop stations and routes to and from the Grand Mosque in collaboration with the private sector.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, the deputy governor honored participating entities and partners. The conference runs for four days, with more than 520 local and international government, private, and non-profit organizations from over 150 countries participating across an area exceeding 67,000 square meters, supporting early Hajj preparations, service development, and partnership building for pilgrims.