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Over 1.1mln pilgrims land in Saudi Arabia as preparations are in full swing for Hajj

Over 1.1mln pilgrims land in Saudi Arabia as preparations are in full swing for Hajj

Zawya27-05-2025

The General Directorate of Passports announced that a total of 1,102,469 pilgrims arrived in Saudi Arabia from abroad through the Kingdom's air, land, and sea entry points by the end of Monday, May 26.
It stated that out of this total, 1,044,341 pilgrims arrived through airports, 53,850 via land border crossings, and 4,278 through sea ports.
The directorate also reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to facilitating entry procedures for pilgrims by equipping all international ports with advanced technologies operated by highly trained, multilingual personnel.
Saudi Arabia has completed elaborate preparations and flawless arrangements for a hassle-free Hajj, featuring seamless pilgrim experience and digital integration. The Saudi authorities have reiterated the Kingdom's unwavering commitment to leveraging all capabilities to serve pilgrims within an integrated system.
They stated that these efforts reflect the wise leadership's directives and align with Saudi Vision 2030's goals to facilitate Hajj rituals and enhance quality of services so as to enable the pilgrims to perform their rituals in ease and comfort.
© Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

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