Makkah & Medina
From The Report: Saudi Arabia 2020
View in Online Reader

The holy sites of Makkah & Medina attract millions of pilgrims each year, and religious tourism remains central to their local economies. The world’s largest mosque, the Masjid Al Haram, also known as the Grand Mosque, is in Makkah and is home to the Kaaba, a shrine that Muslims consider the most sacred place in the world. While uncertainty remains surrounding Covid-19’s impact on the 2020 Hajj season, the bigger picture looks positive for the Kingdom’s two holy cities. The real estate sector is expanding alongside the Grand Mosque’s capacity, and more streamlined visa processes should encourage a larger annual influx of visitors. The key challenge for the government going forwards will be to ensure that transport and hospitality infrastructure keeps pace with the anticipated growth. This chapter contains an interview with Fahad Albuliheshi, Mayor of Medina.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Expansion plans: Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages play key roles in economic growth
OBG
plus

The cities of Makkah and Medina, situated near the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia, are the two holiest sites in Islam. The former is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, while the latter, some 500 km away, provided him sanctuary when he fled Makkah and is where he is buried. It was in Medina that Prophet Muhammad was instrumental in developing the world’s first mosque, the Mosque of Quba. The world’s largest mosque, the Masjid Al Haram, also known as the Grand Mosque, is in Makkah…

Interview

The next step: Fahad Albuliheshi, Mayor, Almadinah Almunawarah Region; and CEO, Almadinah Region Development Authority, on medium-term plans for Medina’s economic development
OBG
plus

Interview:Fahad Albuliheshi How is urban infrastructure being developed for diversified economic and demographic growth? FAHAD ALBULIHESHI: Projects focusing on humanising the city began in 2016, with Medina undertaking radical structural reforms. The projects focused primarily on the revaluation of natural heritage; the transformation of central urban areas of historical and religious importance; and the development of local social, business and commercial communities. These three pillars…

Analysis

Appetite for wellness: Rising visitor numbers offer an avenue to promote medical tourism and encourage the development of healthier cities
OBG
plus

Leveraging the large number of pilgrims who visit the holy cities of Makkah and Medina to boost broader tourism activity is an important goal for the Kingdom, and one area that could benefit substantially from this push is health care. The Kingdom’s increasing population, alongside enhanced transportation links with Makkah, Jeddah and major aviation centres, will contribute to demand for health care in Medina. Healthy City Medina is seeking the World Health Organisation (WHO) healthy…