Politics · Saudi Arabia · 1 day ago
Saudi Arabia plans five-year effort to license Hajj service workers
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is planning a five-year drive to train and license Hajj service workers.
The plan involves the ministry, Hajj affairs offices and service providers, with the aim of improving workers’ skills and services for pilgrims.
The ministry discussed the effort in Jeddah ahead of the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition, which is set to open there on Sunday.
The event brings together government bodies, service companies and specialists to discuss needs, develop solutions and make arrangements for the next Hajj season.
More than 520 organizations from over 150 countries are expected to take part in this year’s event.
About 1.7 million people performed Hajj in the 1447 season, including 1.54 million arrivals from outside Saudi Arabia.
The ministry says preparations begin months before pilgrims reach Mecca, and it plans to turn ideas and partnerships into practical services that improve their journey.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah plans a five-year effort to train and license all workers in the Hajj service system.
The plan will be carried out with Hajj affairs offices and service providers to improve workers’ skills and the quality of services for pilgrims.
The ministry announced the plan at a briefing in Jeddah about the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition.
The event is intended to support early preparations for the next Hajj season and bring together government bodies, service providers and other partners.
- Who
- Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, working with Hajj affairs offices and service providers.
- What
- A five-year plan to train and license all workers in the Hajj service system.
- When
- The plan is set to run for five years. The ministry announced it on November 7, 2026.
- Where
- Saudi Arabia; the announcement was made at a briefing in Jeddah.
- Why
- To improve workers’ skills and raise the quality of services provided to pilgrims.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The ministry held a briefing in Jeddah about the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition and announced the five-year plan.
The sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition was scheduled to begin at Jeddah Superdome.
- Plan length
- Five years
- Season 1447 pilgrims
- About 1.7 million
- Pilgrims from outside Saudi Arabia
- 1.54 million
- Pilgrims from inside Saudi Arabia
- 160,000
- Sixth conference participants
- More than 520 entities from over 150 countries
- Conference area
- More than 67,000 square metres
What people are saying
The ministry is working to redraw the future of the service system by bringing together partners and stakeholders, launching initiatives to shape the event, and attracting innovators and entrepreneurs
The true value of the conference lies in the impact of its outcomes after its work ends, by turning meetings into agreements, agreements into contracts, discussions into action plans, and ideas into solutions and projects that reach the field and have an impact on the pilgrim’s experience