Latest news with #Madinah
Zawya
an hour ago
- Business
- Zawya
Number of visitors to Madinah jumps 18.7% in 3 years, reaching 18mln in 2024
MADINAH - The tourism sector in Madinah has witnessed significant growth of 18.7 percent in visitor numbers over the past three years, receiving more than 18 million visitors in 2024, compared with 14.1 million in 2023 and 8.2 million in 2022. According to a report issued on Wednesday by the Madinah Chamber of Commerce, activities related to accommodation, travel agencies, and tour operations recorded an 18.7 percent increase in 2024 compared to the previous year. The report highlighted the sector's vital role in supporting economic growth and increasing the gross domestic product (GDP) through tourism spending on lodging, transportation, shopping, and other services, while also creating job opportunities in tourism-related activities and contributing to sustainable economic diversification. The chamber report outlined the key assets of Madinah's tourism sector, noting that the city is home to around 400 religious, historical, and cultural landmarks that attract visitors from across the globe. These include the Prophet's Mosque, major historic mosques, various museums and exhibitions, modern tourist destinations, and restored historical sites open to the public, such as valleys, wells, and archaeological locations—forming a major driver for tourism development in the region. © Copyright 2022 The Saudi Gazette. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Argaam
12 hours ago
- Business
- Argaam
Madinah receives over 18M visitors in 2024
The tourism sector in Madinah has witnessed a remarkable growth in the number of visitors over the past three years, with the holy city receiving more than 18 million visitors in 2024, compared to 14.1 million visitors in 2023 and 8.2 million visitors in 2022. According to a report issued by the Madinah Chamber, the activities of the accommodation sector, travel agencies, and tour organization saw an increase of 18.7% year-on-year in 2024, state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. The report highlighted the importance of the tourism sector in Madinah in supporting economic growth and boosting GDP through tourism spending on accommodation, transportation, shopping, and other services, in addition to creating job opportunities in the sector's activities and achieving sustainable economic diversification.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Madinah Expands Green Cover with Over 230,000 Trees Planted in 2024
In 2024, a total of 237,942 trees were planted in Madinah as part of ongoing efforts to combat desertification, improve vegetation cover, and promote environmental sustainability. According to SPA, Madinah Municipality noted that the increase in tree planting supports its broader goals of enhancing the city's urban landscape and visual identity across streets, neighborhoods, and public spaces, as well as expanding green areas along pedestrian pathways and within public facilities. The municipality emphasized its ongoing commitment to creating an ideal urban environment that enhances the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 days ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Al-Safiyyah Museum in Madinah Celebrates Saudi Arabia's Handicraft Heritage
Al-Safiyyah Museum and Park in Madinah hosted a vibrant cultural event organized by the Madinah Crafts Association in collaboration with the Heritage Commission as part of the Year of Handicrafts 2025 initiative. The event brought together a diverse group of skilled male and female artisans who showcased traditional crafts that reflect the richness and diversity of Saudi Arabia's national heritage. Among the featured crafts were wood engraving, sadu weaving, hand-weaving, silver jewelry making, wickerwork, palm basket weaving, and Islamic pottery decoration, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Monday. Visitors were treated to live demonstrations and interactive workshops, offering a hands-on experience of the creative processes and technical expertise behind each craft. The event also promoted intergenerational dialogue, highlighting the importance of preserving and evolving these age-old traditions as integral elements of the Kingdom's cultural identity. Cultural enthusiasts and visitors praised the quality and variety of the products on display, emphasizing the role such events play in raising public awareness about Saudi handicrafts and encouraging their continued development. The Ministry of Culture, through its Year of Handicrafts 2025 initiative, continues to support artisans across the Kingdom by facilitating access to local and global markets and promoting traditional skills rooted in Saudi culture. The initiative aims to ensure the sustainability of the handicraft sector and preserve its rich heritage.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Arab News
Hajj as a bridge between the finite and the infinite
Standing once again in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, my husband Chad and I prepared for our second Hajj — a pilgrimage that would prove even more transformative than our first, undertaken more than a decade ago in 2013. Chad, who embraced Islam 30 years ago, brought his deep spiritual maturity to complement my own quest for understanding the relationship between Allah and humans. Together, we embarked on a two-week journey that would reshape our comprehension of existence itself. The logistics had been challenging. Navigating Nusuk's booking platform tested our patience. Yet, once we had secured our package through Dar El Salaam Travel's partnership with Saudia Hajj and Umrah — complete with five-star accommodation in Makkah and Madinah and comfortable lodging at Kidana Tower in Mina — and traveled to Saudi Arabia from the US, the stage was set for a profound transformation. Under the exceptional guidance of Sheikh Yahya Ibrahim from Perth, Australia, our group discovered that Hajj extends far beyond ritual compliance. Sheikh Yahya masterfully prepared us to perceive the pilgrimage not merely as physical movements through sacred spaces, but as a transcendent journey beyond the constraints of space and time. Yasmin Saikia and her husband Chad, who embraced Islam 30 years ago, performed Hajj this year. (Supplied) The spiritual awakening during Hajj offers practical blueprints for daily life. The pilgrimage teaches us that meaningful existence requires constant awareness of our connection to the divine, which in turn transforms how we relate to ourselves and our communities. In practical terms, this means approaching daily interactions with the same intentionality we bring to Hajj rituals. Just as we circle the Kaaba with focused devotion, we should approach family conversations, workplace challenges and community service with deliberate mindfulness. The patience required during crowded Tawaf translates directly to patience with difficult situations at work and home. The patience required during crowded Tawaf translates directly to patience with difficult situations at work and home. Yasmin Saikia When you have experienced the profound equality of Hajj, where your Ph.D. means nothing and your bank account is irrelevant, you start approaching community work differently. It is not about charity anymore; it becomes about recognizing the divine in everyone you serve. That homeless veteran, that refugee family and that difficult colleague all require the same response we heard in Makkah. The Hajj principle of selflessness, exemplified when pilgrims sacrifice personal comfort for collective movement, offers guidance for addressing contemporary challenges. Climate change, social inequality and political divisions require the same spirit of collective sacrifice and shared purpose that characterizes successful pilgrimage. The concept of unity experienced during Hajj, where millions of pilgrims from diverse backgrounds stand equal before Allah, provides a template for community building. This can manifest in local initiatives that transcend cultural, economic or racial boundaries. Most importantly, the constant remembrance of Allah cultivated during Hajj, through prayer and reflection, can be sustained through daily practices. Even mundane activities can become opportunities for spiritual connection when approached with Hajj consciousness. As someone who has spent years studying conflict and searching for paths to peace, I see in Hajj something that academic theories often miss — the power of shared vulnerability. Standing at Mount Arafat, stripped of all pretenses, you realize that lasting peace begins with that kind of humility. It is what we are trying to capture in our Center of Muslim Experience work — how spiritual practice can inform real-world solutions to division and misunderstanding, as well as dignifying the marginal and vulnerable by paying attention to their efforts and contributions for national and global progress. The journey to Makkah ultimately taught me that the sacred and mundane are not separate realms but interconnected dimensions of existence. By maintaining the spiritual awareness awakened during Hajj, we create bridges between the finite limitations of daily life and the infinite possibilities of divine connection, enriching both our personal growth and our service to humanity.
