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MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s statistics authority said more than 1.8 million worshippers performed the Hajj pilgrimage this year, a long way short of a record despite predictions of peak attendance.
The official figures by National Statistics Authority said the total number of pilgrims for this Hajj season is 1,845,045 male and female pilgrims. This includes 1,660,915 pilgrims from abroad and 184,130 domestic pilgrims.
The figures were still short of the 2.5 million worshippers who took part in 2019. However, the figures still mark a dramatic increase on the 926,000 from last year, when numbers were capped at one million following the Covid-19 pandemic. Only 10,000 were allowed in 2020, at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, rising to nearly 59,000 a year later.
The Kingdom’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah also revealed that this year’s Hajj attracted more than 1.8 million worshippers from 150 countries. Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Tawfiq Al-Rabiah expressed his gratitude to the Kingdom’s leadership for helping to provide the best possible services to visitors, and the efforts of more than 40 government entities and other private sector companies.
“These efforts have facilitated the pilgrims’ movement in peace, tranquility and good health,” he said, adding that the ministry had started its preparation for Hajj at the conclusion of last year’s event.
He added: “We have set up a task management center and its main job is to coordinate with all the participating agencies. That is why the pilgrims’ transportation process went smoothly and easily.
“We have also expanded the use of smart cards that help pilgrims to know which services are provided to them. It also assists them in reaching their camps and finding locations.”
He said that technology was proving to be an invaluable tool for pilgrims during Hajj. “This advancement in technology can, for sure, help us to provide better services, and also enriches the experience of pilgrims.”
