religious tourism the white gold of saudi arabia
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

as the kingdom hosts the annual hajj pilgrimage

Religious tourism: the white gold of Saudi Arabia

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Religious tourism: the white gold of Saudi Arabia

Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba
Mina - Al Maghrib Today

With global oil prices flailing, Saudi Arabia is turning to another natural resource: billions of dollars gained from religious tourism as the kingdom hosts the annual hajj pilgrimage.

Shops line the packed esplanade of the Great Mosque of Mecca, one of the holiest sites in Islam, lowering their awnings only at prayer time and re-opening their doors minutes after the mosque empties.

Saudi authorities have reported 2.35 million Muslims are participating in this year's hajj, the pilgrimage to the western Saudi Arabian city of Mecca that forms one of the five pillars of Islam.

Of those, around 1.75 million pilgrims from 168 countries arrived from abroad, according to the state-run SPA news agency.

Even at the foothills of Mount Arafat, where Muslims believe the Prophet Mohammed delivered his last sermon, carpet merchants were scouting for customers among the faithful.

"The money spent by pilgrims this year could be from 20 to 25 billion riyals (5.3 to 6.7 billion dollars)," said Maher Jamal, head of Mecca's Chamber of Commerce and Industry -- an estimated 70 percent increase from the previous year.

Jamal told AFP the jump in revenue stemmed from a 20 percent increase in the number of pilgrims compared with last year.

Each of them contributes on average thousands of dollars to the kingdom's domestic economy, spending money on food, lodging, souvenirs and gifts.

- 'Religion and commerce' -

The increase in numbers is no accident but rather part of the ambitious Vision 2030 plan aimed at diversifying the Saudi economy, which was dealt a serious blow after oil prices plummeted in 2014.

According to historian Luc Chantre, whose research focuses on hajj during colonial times, "even before the advent of Islam, Mecca was a place for merchants".

"It was an area of international exchange, where religion and commerce were always linked," Chantre told AFP. "Until the discovery of oil, the hajj was Saudi Arabia's primary source of revenue."

Saudi Arabia -- the world's top crude oil exporter -- has announced a plan to shift the kingdom's economy away from oil dependency toward other sources of revenue, including religious tourism.

The Vision 2030 plan aims to draw six million pilgrims to hajj annually. In addition, the kingdom hopes to attract 30 million pilgrims to umrah, a lesser pilgrimage that can be completed during the rest of the year.

Years before the 2030 targets were unveiled, work was already under way to expand the capacity to accommodate as many pilgrims as possible during the five-day hajj.

The past decade has seen cranes rise above the Great Mosque for projects including the expansion of the holy mosques of Mecca and Medina, an underground metro line and new flooring built around the Kaaba -- a black masonry cube which pilgrims circumambulate through now-air conditioned or ventilated corridors.

The expansion projects have been met with some criticism for distorting the ancient sites, sparking major safety concerns along the way.

In September 2015, a construction crane crashed over pilgrims congregating at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, leaving more than 100 people dead.

Later that month, the hajj saw its worst ever disaster when a deadly stampede along the route killed around 2,300 people.

The stampede drew fierce criticism, in particular from rival Iran which reported 464 of its citizens killed.

After refusing to send pilgrims in 2016, Iranian authorities say more than 86,000 of their nationals are taking part this year.

On Friday, as pilgrims carried out the last major ritual of the pilgrimage, Saudi authorities held a televised press conference to report that the 2017 hajj had passed without major health or safety upsets.

Source: AFP

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

religious tourism the white gold of saudi arabia religious tourism the white gold of saudi arabia

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

religious tourism the white gold of saudi arabia religious tourism the white gold of saudi arabia

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today The Rake announces editorial updates

GMT 10:46 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

The Rake announces editorial updates
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Europe brings on charm and blue skies

GMT 11:51 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Europe brings on charm and blue skies
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today For the Variety of Interior Design Styles

GMT 10:46 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

For the Variety of Interior Design Styles
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today US Christian tourists see deep meaning

GMT 13:44 2018 Monday ,22 January

US Christian tourists see deep meaning
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 10:03 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Amazon to open first cashierless shop

GMT 20:57 2017 Tuesday ,26 December

Erdogan Arrives in Port Sudan

GMT 12:39 2017 Sunday ,10 September

Leadership's unlimited support

GMT 08:42 2013 Wednesday ,18 September

Kuwaiti crude price down $1.44 to $107.04 per barrel

GMT 13:05 2016 Tuesday ,26 January

China fears halt market recovery

GMT 20:15 2016 Tuesday ,14 June

QNB raises $2.75bn in tier 1 notes sale

GMT 20:57 2014 Wednesday ,17 September

Egypt Mufti Shawki Allam wraps up visit to Lebanon

GMT 17:10 2012 Thursday ,10 May

Israeli forces detain Gaza fishermen

GMT 15:38 2016 Friday ,22 July

ANB reports $417.9m net profit in first half

GMT 15:54 2015 Sunday ,08 February

British stars vie for BAFTA glory ahead of Oscars

GMT 15:31 2017 Thursday ,05 January

Morocco’s GDP to Increase by 3.9% in 2017 Q1: HCP

GMT 12:21 2015 Saturday ,29 August

Wheat stock beyond safe limits

GMT 14:16 2011 Tuesday ,11 October

Hazy weather with chance of rain forecast in UAE

GMT 15:36 2015 Friday ,04 September

Bob Geldof offers to house four Syrian families

GMT 13:36 2017 Friday ,04 August

Egyptian, Algerian foreign ministers hold talks

GMT 11:48 2017 Sunday ,26 March

US stocks decline on Trump policy uncertainty

GMT 17:53 2017 Wednesday ,19 April

President of Croatia Meets Qatar's Ambassador
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday