1.7m pilgrims performing Hajj this year, 2.04% more than last year

The increased attendance also underscores the Kingdom’s ongoing focus on operational efficiency. (SPA)

MOHAMMED AL-KINANI

May 27, 2026

• 1,546,655 people travel from outside of the Kingdom to take part in the pilgrimage, 160,646 are citizens or residents of Saudi Arabia
• 388,694 benefit from Makkah Route Initiative, a service that lets them complete all entry procedures at point of departure, thereby avoiding long queues on arrival, 23.7% more than last year

ARAFAT: More than 1.7 million pilgrims are performing Hajj this year, the majority of whom live outside of Saudi Arabia, according to authorities in the Kingdom.

The total number of 1,707,301 is an increase of of 34,071, or 2.04 percent, compared with the 1,673,230 who attended the 2025 Hajj.

This comes amid continuing efforts to streamline pilgrimage operations, expand facilities at entry points and enhance services, officials said, and reflects the steady demand for Hajj places despite evolving regional and global conditions.

The increased attendance also underscores the Kingdom’s ongoing focus on operational efficiency, they added, particularly through the digitalization of services, improved crowd-management systems, and enhanced coordination between security, health and logistical authorities.

Figures provided by the General Authority for Statistics reveal that 1,546,655 pilgrims traveled from outside of the Kingdom to perform Hajj, while 160,646 are citizens or residents of Saudi Arabia. The vast majority of those arriving from abroad, 1,485,729, traveled by air, 54,429 entered the country through land crossings, and 6,497 arrived by sea.

The number of pilgrims who benefited from the Makkah Route Initiative, a service that allows them to complete all entry, passport and customs procedures at the point of departure and transports them directly to their accommodation, thereby avoiding long queues at airports on arrival, increased to 388,694, compared with 314,337 last year, an increase of about 23.7 percent.

The total number of people working in support of Hajj operations increased to 441,049 from 420,070 last year. However, the number of volunteers decreased from 34,540 in 2025 to 26,701, a decline of 22.7 percent.

The General Authority for Statistics said its figures were based on administrative data provided by the Ministry of Interior as the primary source, in line with a statistical framework adopted during recent Hajj seasons to ensure accuracy and reliability. The full Hajj data and detailed reports are available on the authority’s website.

source https://www.arabnews.com/node/2645054/saudi-arabia