Istanbul, The Makkah Route Initiative, a flagship project of the Ministry of Interior, covers seven countries and was designed to offer pilgrims not just best technical and logistical support, but also a sense of security.
The initiative is testament to the leadership’s unwavering commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and their valued visitors.
As per the initiative, pilgrims are offered high-quality services, their entry procedures are streamlined, starting already in their home countries, and they are transported directly to their accommodations in Makkah and Madinah.
Due to the Makkah Route Initiative, the time pilgrims spend at points of entry into the Kingdom has been successfully reduced. This is an accomplishment that clearly demonstrates the Saudi government’s commitment to providing a seamless pilgrimage experience, including by expediting entry procedures and by securing luggage-handling services that enable easy access to accommodations.
This year, the initiative has benefited pilgrims fro
m seven countries: Morocco, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Trkiye, and Côte d’Ivoire; through it, special lounges have been dedicated for pilgrims at the airports in these countries.
The Makkah Route Initiative garnered international acclaim, with the Turkish ambassador to the Kingdom, Dr. Emrullah Isler, commending the initiative personnel’s hard work at Turkish airports in Ankara and Istanbul.
The Saudi Press Agency (SPA), present at Istanbul International Airport, captured pilgrims’ feelings vis-à-vis the initiative.
Speaking to SPA, Amina Turk, who is accompanied by her husband on the trip, said: ‘I wished to perform Hajj at the Grand Mosque, and I ask Allah to give us the ability to complete it. We are very excited because it is our first visit, and I ask Allah accepts our deed.”
With a shared vision, various government agencies collaborate to ensures a secure and seamless experience for pilgrims. These are: ministries of interior, foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, and media, the G
eneral Authority of Civil Aviation, Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence, the pilgrim experience program, which is one of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 programs, and the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority.
Source: Saudi Press Agency