HH Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of Madinah Region, opens Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2025

Under the patronage and in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region, the second edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum officially opened on Monday. The event is hosted by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in partnership with the Guests of God Programme.
During the official opening of the three-day event at King Salman International Convention Centre in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness said: “We welcome you to Madinah Al Munawwarah – the City of Light and Healing – which, alongside Makkah, was honoured with the revelation and served as the cradle of Islamic civilisation, the birthplace of peace, and the teachings of our noble faith. It continues to capture the hearts of Muslims from all corners of the globe, home to the second of the Two Holy Mosques.”
“We are witnessing a developmental phase focused on the architecture of the Prophet’s Mosque and its surrounding historical sites, aimed at strengthening the spiritual connection of visitors with the noble biography of the Prophet (PBUH). These collective efforts reflect the Kingdom’s humanitarian message, rooted in Islamic values, Arab heritage, and universal principles of peace. They also seek to enrich the experience of the Guests of Allah and advance the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.”
During the opening ceremony, His Excellency Dr Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah, Minister of Hajj and Umrah, also addressed attendees, stating: “We are pleased to welcome you to the second edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, which enjoys the patronage and attention of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – may Allah protect them – in line with their unwavering support for the Two Holy Mosques and their visitors.”
He added: “Since the launch of Saudi Vision 2030, more than 128 million pilgrims and visitors from around the world have come to the Kingdom. Madinah has also achieved a leading position among the world’s top destinations for 2024. Through this forum, we aim to further enable and facilitate the journey of the Guests of Allah by working hand in hand with innovators and developers across the sector, enhancing the overall experience for all Umrah performers and visitors.”
The second edition of the Umrah and Ziyarah Forum, which runs until April 16, brings together policymakers, service providers, business leaders and innovators spanning the Umrah services ecosystem, cementing the Kingdom’s commitment to enriching the visitor journey while driving investment and transformation in the sector.
Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2025 has an expanded profile and a renewed content focus, with a conference agenda featuring thought-provoking fireside chats and insightful panel discussions addressing trends and major sector topics spanning technology, healthcare, airlines, mobility, and transport to streamline the Umrah experience. The event will also feature a host of immersive workshops over the three days.
Find the Right Tactics to Engage Audiences and Enhance Their Experience
In addition to the opening ceremony, day one witnessed a number of engaging workshops, including how providers can harness emerging technologies to enhance the Umrah and Ziyarah experience, and a session on using social media to educate visitors.
In one of the opening workshops, Hadi Fakeeh, Director of Media Affairs at King Abdul Aziz and His Companions Foundation for the Giftedness and Creativity, delivered a session on ‘Using Social Media to Enrich And Educate the Guest of Allah’, in which he told delegates about the importance of knowing your audiences, which channels they use, and the best tactics to engage them with.
Sharing insight, Fakeeh said that often, the best communication tactic to engage visitors to optimise their journey is the creation and sharing of content from people who have completed that journey.
Highlights of day two on Tuesday include a panel discussion titled ‘Makkah and Madinah: A Future Vision for Enhancing the Experience of Visitors and Umrah Pilgrims’ involving a number of industry experts; a session on the role of aviation in enhancing the Umrah and Ziyarah experience for guests; as well as a session on ‘Digitizing Services for a Seamless Travel Experience’.
Fouad Talat, regional manager at Booking.com, who is part of the panel discussing digital transformation of Umrah services, said: “For travellers, experiencing the world comes with complexity – from choosing a destination and accommodation, to booking flights, taxis and experiences – there are endless possibilities and potential frictions. With these complex planning needs in mind, GenAI can make it easier for any traveler to browse and compare unique options across accommodations, flights, experiences and more in one easy-to-use platform, helping them book an unforgettable trip that fits any criteria. Technology continues to play a critical role in how we enable these experiences, especially as GenAI has hit an inflection point in society, with recent advancements creating new opportunities and efficiencies previously thought impossible with modern technology.”
Among the UZF 2025 line-up of sponsors, Rua Al Madinah Holding (Official Partner), Al Rajhi for Umrah (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Tasheer (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Knowledge Economic City (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠SAR (Platinum Sponsor), ⁠Taibah Investments (Makarem) (Platinum Sponsor), Tawuniya Insurance (Official Insurance Partner), Movenpick (Gold Sponsor) and ⁠Mansky (Bronze Sponsor) who will showcase pioneering solutions to enhance Umrah services and foster long-term industry collaborations. The event is also expected to attract more than 25,000 visitors, including business leaders, investors, Umrah travel experts and professionals, decision makers, diplomatic representatives, non-profit organisations, media, entrepreneurs and innovators, and Umrah sector operators.
For more information, visit: https://umrah-ziyarah.com/.