Hajj Kicks Off as Hotel Developers Target Religious Tourism Boom

Religious tourism is Saudi Arabia's largest international travel segment. Expect more investment from developers, investors, and the government.

The Hajj pilgrimage begins Wednesday, June 4, kicking off one of the most critical weeks for Saudi Arabia’s tourism sector. In just five days, nearly 2 million pilgrims are expected to head to Makkah.

Last year, the kingdom recorded 29.7 million international visitors, according to the latest Vision 2030 progress report. Of those, 16.9 million arrived for Umrah — performed year-round — while 1.61 million completed Hajj, a pilgrimage bound to specific days on the Islamic calendar.

By the end of the decade, Saudi Arabia hopes to bring in 30 million religious tourists annually. That’s driving multibillion-dollar developments across the holy cities.

Central to the kingdom’s ambitions is the Rua Al Madinah project, launched in August 2022 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The development spans 1.5 million square meters east of the Prophet’s Mo