Saudi Arabia’s Makkah and Madinah join world’s top 10 most visited cities in 2025

 

Saudi Arabia’s Makkah ranks fifth most visited city globally 

Saudi Arabia has achieved a major tourism and religious milestone, with Makkah and Madinah securing places among the world's most visited cities in 2025, underscoring the Kingdom’s growing global appeal as it continues to transform the Hajj and Umrah experience under Vision 2030.

According to the Guests of God Service Program’s 2025 annual report, Honor and Impact, Makkah ranked as the fifth most visited city globally by international visitors, while Madinah claimed seventh place, reflecting the Kingdom’s sustained investment in pilgrimage services, infrastructure, and visitor experience.

The report revealed that Saudi Arabia welcomed more than 19.5 million international pilgrims during 2025, including 18.03 million Umrah pilgrims and 1.5 million Hajj pilgrims. The number of Umrah visitors has surged by 114 percent since 2022, highlighting the rapid expansion of the Kingdom’s religious tourism sector.

 

Read More              Saudi Arabia’s holy city Makkah becoming a hotspot of religious as well as luxury tourism

 

The impressive growth has been matched by rising visitor satisfaction. Hajj pilgrims recorded a 91 percent satisfaction rate, while 94 percent of Umrah pilgrims expressed satisfaction with their overall experience—both exceeding the performance targets established under Saudi Vision 2030.

One of the most notable improvements was recorded at Rawdah Al-Sharif inside Al-Masjid an-Nabawi, where more than 16 million worshippers visited during the year. Visitor satisfaction at the sacred site climbed to 88 percent, a significant increase from 57 percent recorded in 2022.

The report also highlighted the successful implementation of the Guests of God Service Program, which completed 87 initiatives in collaboration with more than 60 government and private sector partners, achieving a 100 percent completion rate during 2025.

Saudi Arabia also continued investing in the preservation and promotion of its Islamic heritage. The number of qualified historical and cultural sites across Makkah and Madinah increased to 87, attracting a combined 55 million visits throughout the year.

Community participation also played a key role in enhancing the pilgrimage experience, with more than 184,000 volunteers contributing their time and services to support pilgrims across the holy cities.

On the travel front, Saudi Arabia issued 15.03 million visas in 2025 for Umrah, tourism, and other visit categories, with Umrah visas accounting for 83 percent of the total. Pakistan, Indonesia, and Egypt emerged as the top three source markets for Umrah visa holders, reflecting the Kingdom’s strong connections with the global Muslim community.

 

Read More              Socio-economic transformation of Al Madinah playing a key role in realizing Saudi Vision 2030

 

The Guests of God Service Program, one of the flagship initiatives under Saudi Vision 2030, continues to oversee the full pilgrimage journey—from travel planning and arrival to religious rituals and return—while driving improvements in service quality, digital transformation, and visitor satisfaction.

The latest rankings and record-breaking visitor numbers reinforce Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a global leader in religious tourism, with Makkah and Madinah continuing to set new benchmarks for pilgrimage services, hospitality, and spiritual experiences.

Source: The Islamic Information