Saudi: How Pilgrim Experience Programme Is Reshaping Makkah, Madinah
By Abdulrazaq Auwal
Saudi Arabia is undertaking a broad transformation of Makkah and Madinah as the Kingdom implements it’s Pilgrim Experience Programme (PEP) under Vision 2030, with major investments targeting accommodation, mobility, cultural heritage, public spaces and services for visitors to the Two Holy Mosques.
The programme aims to improve every stage of the pilgrimage journey from planning and arrival to movement within the holy cities while expanding access to the holy mosques and enriching the spiritual and cultural experience of Hajj and Umrah visitors.
One of the clearest manifestations of the strategy is the development of new urban districts around the two holy cities.
In Makkah, the King Salman Gate project is planned adjacent to the Grand Mosque, with up to 12 million square metres of gross floor area. The mixed-use development will combine residential, hospitality, commercial and cultural facilities and provide prayer capacity for about 900,000 people across indoor and outdoor spaces.
The project will also improve public transport connections, restore heritage sites and facilitate access to the Grand Mosque objectives that Saudi authorities explicitly link to the Pilgrim Experience Programme.
The Masar Destination is another major development along King Abdulaziz Road. The 1.25-million-square-metre project stretches 3.65 kilometres towards the Grand Mosque and integrates hotels, residences, retail facilities and mobility infrastructure.
Its developer, Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction, identifies the project as part of efforts to support Vision 2030’s objective of enabling the Kingdom to accommodate 30 million pilgrims annually.
In Madinah, the Rua Al Madinah Project is similarly reshaping the area surrounding the Prophet’s Mosque.
The development combines hospitality, commercial facilities and cultural centres, with the stated objective of increasing accommodation capacity near the mosque, improving visitor services and creating a more integrated urban environment.
Rua Al Madinah Holding says the project aligns with Vision 2030 and aims to enrich visitors’ experience while reflecting Madinah’s religious, cultural and historical identity. The transformation also extends beyond accommodation and infrastructure.
Saudi: How Pilgrim Experience Programme Is Reshaping Makkah, Madinah
Saudi Arabia’s PEP includes the development and preservation of Islamic historical sites in Makkah and Madinah, with projects aimed at restoring landmarks, improving accessibility and using modern facilities and digital tools to help visitors engage with Islamic history.
The approach reflects a wider Vision 2030 objective: increasing Saudi Arabia’s annual capacity to welcome Umrah visitors from 6.2 million to 30 million, while improving services and enriching the spiritual and cultural experience of pilgrims.
Recent Vision 2030 data indicate that the strategy is already operating at a significantly larger scale.
The Kingdom recorded more than 18 million Umrah performers from outside Saudi Arabia in 2025, according to the 2025 Vision 2030 annual report, while investments in transport and digital services continue to support movement through the pilgrimage journey.
For pilgrims, the transformation therefore goes beyond new hotels and buildings. It is gradually changing the entire ecosystem around Hajj and Umrah from where visitors stay and how they move to how they access historical sites, commercial services and cultural experiences.
As more of these developments come on stream, Makkah and Madinah are being positioned not simply to accommodate larger numbers of pilgrims, but to provide a more integrated experience before, during and after their visits to the Two Holy Mosques.
