The Kingdom's digital readiness leads the world during the Hajj season
Minister of Media Salman Al-Dossari announced the completion of preparations by all government sectors for the Hajj season, praising advanced digital readiness , which has placed it at the forefront of global rankings. This announcement came during the 34th annual government press conference, which reviewed a comprehensive national plan for security, technology, and logistics services. The conference was attended by the Ministers of Hajj and Umrah, Municipalities and Housing, Transport and Logistics, and Health.
The historical development of Hajj services and the superiority of digital readiness
Over the decades, crowd management and the organization of the Hajj pilgrimage have undergone radical transformations, with the Kingdom moving from traditional methods to adopting the latest global technologies to serve the pilgrims. This historic development was not a sudden occurrence, but rather the fruit of sustainable strategic planning culminating in Saudi Vision 2030, which has made facilitating the performance of the pilgrimage a top priority. In this context, the Minister of Media affirmed that the Kingdom continues its coordinated institutional efforts to harness all its capabilities, contributing to achieving first place globally in the Digital Readiness issued by the International Telecommunication Union. This excellence is exemplified by the 100% coverage of the Holy Sites with 5G networks, overseen by more than 4,200 technical personnel working around the clock to ensure seamless communications.
Integrating security and logistical efforts to ensure the safety of pilgrims
On the security and logistical front, the Ministry of Interior is leading intensive and decisive field efforts through the “No Hajj Without a Permit” campaign to ensure the safety of crowds and the smooth flow of movement in the holy sites. These measures coincide with extensive preparations by the Ministry of Tourism, which has provided more than two million beds in Mecca and 332,000 beds in Medina, supported by 19,000 inspection tours. In the services sector, the Ministry of Water, Environment, and Agriculture has pumped more than 1.2 million cubic meters of water daily, conducting 4,000 laboratory tests to ensure quality, with the participation of 5,000 trained personnel. Additionally, the Ministry of Commerce's field teams have conducted more than 33,000 inspection tours to ensure the availability of essential goods.
The regional and international impact of hosting pilgrims
The Kingdom's success in managing this largest human gathering in the world is of paramount importance and has a wide international impact. It reflects Saudi Arabia's unparalleled ability to manage crises and crowds with exceptional efficiency, making it a global model for managing major events. More than 100 countries have completed their preparations through the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, while the Kingdom is hosting 2,500 pilgrims from the families of martyrs and scholars. Awareness efforts included equipping 20,000 mosques and prayer halls and distributing more than 120 million informational text messages to beneficiaries in multiple languages, enhancing the positive impact and spiritual experience for pilgrims arriving from all corners of the globe.
Media as a memory preserver of the greatest Islamic event
The Minister of Media emphasized the pivotal role of media as the memory of events, announcing the launch of the third edition of the Hajj Media Forum in Makkah, with the participation of more than 30 entities representing the public and private sectors. This year's forum will host 150 media outlets and more than 3,000 local and international journalists, aiming to convey the spiritual experience with high professionalism. Al-Dossari noted that last year's media efforts resulted in the dissemination of nearly one million media items, achieving 10 billion views and interactions. This year's plan includes six press conferences with the participation of more than 100 officials representing 26 government agencies. Additionally, the Saudi Press Agency has established strategic partnerships with 42 international news agencies to enhance the global reach of reliable news content and convey the noble message of Hajj to the entire world.
