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বৃহঃস্পতিবার, ২৭ আগস্ট ২০২৬
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Wednesday, 26th August 2026
Saudi Arabia Records More Than 15.2 Million Umrah Pilgrims in First Quarter of 2026
25 August 2026 22:08 PM
NEWS DESK
More than 15.2 million people performed Umrah in Saudi Arabia during the first quarter of 2026, according to data released by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT).
A total of 15,233,767 people performed Umrah between January and March, including approximately 9,464,496 domestic pilgrims and 5,769,271 international pilgrims.
Men accounted for 59.4 percent of all Umrah performers, while women represented 40.6 percent. Saudi citizens made up 28.9 percent of the total.
Among international Umrah pilgrims, men numbered 2,777,904, or 48.2 percent, while women accounted for 2,991,367, or 51.8 percent.
Air Travel Dominates International Arrivals
Airports were by far the most common entry point for international Umrah pilgrims during the quarter. Around 86 percent entered Saudi Arabia by air.
Another 13.6 percent arrived through land border crossings, while only 0.4 percent entered through seaports.
January recorded the highest number of international Umrah pilgrims during the quarter, with 2,237,418 visitors, representing 38.8 percent of the quarterly total.
The number fell to 1,390,130 in March, the lowest monthly figure for the quarter.
Most Domestic Pilgrims Travelled With Family
GASTAT data showed that 75.4 percent of domestic Umrah pilgrims performed Umrah with their families.
Another 17.2 percent travelled alone, while 7.4 percent performed Umrah with friends.
Domestic Umrah participation peaked in February, when 4,558,570 people performed Umrah. That represented 48.2 percent of the total domestic figure for the quarter.
January recorded the lowest number, with 1,301,343 domestic Umrah performers.
Older International Pilgrims Form Largest Age Group
Among international Umrah pilgrims, people aged 55 to 64 represented the largest age group, accounting for 18.8 percent of the total.
Children aged 0 to 14 represented the smallest group, at 8 percent.
Among Saudi Umrah performers, those aged 25 to 34 made up the largest share, accounting for 25.3 percent. People aged 65 and above represented the smallest group, at 2.8 percent.
Millions Also Visit Madinah
The report also highlighted significant visitor numbers in Madinah during the first quarter.
A total of 3,741,460 international visitors travelled to Madinah during the period.
Meanwhile, the number of domestic visitors travelling to Madinah for religious purposes reached 1,984,193.
Of the domestic religious visitors, 975,278 were Saudi citizens, representing 49.2 percent. Visitors who were citizens of other countries numbered 1,008,915, or 50.8 percent.
The figures underline the continued importance of religious tourism to Saudi Arabia, with millions of domestic and international visitors travelling to the kingdom’s major Islamic holy sites during the first three months of 2026.
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