Saudi Arabia's ambitious tourism expansion under Vision 2030 faces an unexpected challenge as Makkah experiences unprecedented overcrowding outside traditional Hajj season, prompting calls to separate tourist and Umrah visa systems.
The Kingdom's streamlined tourist visa program, introduced in 2019 as part of economic diversification efforts, has enabled millions of visitors to enter Saudi Arabia with minimal bureaucracy. However, many tourists are using tourist visas exclusively for Umrah, the pilgrimage that can be performed year-round, creating infrastructure strain in Islam's holiest city.
"I don't ever recall Makkah being this packed other than Hajj season," wrote a Makkah resident on social media, capturing growing local frustration with the city's transformation. The post called for reinstating dedicated Umrah visas while maintaining tourist visas for visitors exploring the Kingdom beyond Makkah.
In the Kingdom, as across transforming societies, ambitious modernization requires navigating tradition, geopolitics, and economic reality. Vision 2030's goal of attracting 100 million annual visitors by 2030 represents one of the world's most aggressive tourism expansion programs, but the overlap between religious pilgrimage and leisure tourism creates unique management challenges.
The current system allows tourist visa holders to perform Umrah as part of their visit, eliminating the separate Umrah visa that previously required sponsorship and had more restrictive terms. While this simplified access aligns with the Kingdom's modernization agenda and boosts tourism revenue, it has created capacity concerns at the Grand Mosque and surrounding infrastructure.
Makkah has invested billions in expansion projects, including the Grand Mosque's massive renovation that can accommodate up to 2.5 million worshippers. However, the city's hotels, transportation networks, and public services face mounting pressure from visitor numbers that now extend throughout the year rather than concentrating during Hajj season.
The tourism-pilgrimage overlap reflects broader tensions within Vision 2030's transformation. The Kingdom seeks to reduce oil dependence through service sector growth, including religious tourism, leisure tourism, and business travel. Religious tourism alone generated an estimated $12 billion for the Saudi economy in 2024, with projections suggesting this could triple by 2030.
Yet managing sacred spaces while pursuing economic diversification requires delicate balancing. Makkah and Madinah, the two holy cities, have special status in Saudi governance and Islamic tradition. Infrastructure decisions must consider not only visitor capacity but also the religious significance and spiritual experience of pilgrimage.
Local residents' quality of life adds another dimension to the challenge. Makkah's population of approximately 2 million serves as the permanent host community for global Muslim pilgrimage. Year-round overcrowding affects housing costs, traffic congestion, and daily life for residents who live in proximity to sacred sites.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has expanded digital systems to manage visitor flow, including the Nusuk and Eatmarna platforms that schedule Grand Mosque visits and issue Umrah permits. These technological solutions help distribute visitors across time slots, but cannot eliminate capacity constraints when overall numbers surge.
Industry observers note that separating tourist and Umrah visas could allow more precise capacity management. A dedicated Umrah visa system could include quota controls, seasonal pricing, or regional distribution requirements that encourage pilgrims to visit other parts of the Kingdom. Tourist visas could focus on visitors to Riyadh, the Red Sea resorts, AlUla archaeological sites, and other Vision 2030 destinations.
The debate also touches on Saudi Arabia's evolving regional role. As the Kingdom pursues economic diversification and international tourism, it must maintain its position as custodian of Islam's holiest sites—a responsibility central to Saudi legitimacy across the Muslim world. Managing pilgrimage access affects not only domestic policy but also relationships with Muslim-majority nations whose citizens constitute the vast majority of Umrah visitors.
Some tourism experts suggest the current overcrowding may be transitional, arguing that as Vision 2030 projects mature and create more diverse attractions, visitor flow will naturally distribute across the Kingdom rather than concentrating in Makkah. The Red Sea Project, NEOM, and Qiddiya entertainment city all aim to create world-class destinations that attract international visitors independent of religious pilgrimage.
Others contend that Makkah's unique spiritual significance means it will always draw disproportionate visitor numbers regardless of alternative attractions. For Muslims worldwide, visiting the Kaaba represents a profound spiritual aspiration unrelated to Saudi Arabia's broader tourism offerings.
The government has not officially responded to calls for visa system separation, but officials have acknowledged ongoing efforts to enhance Makkah's capacity and visitor management. Recent announcements include expanded metro systems, additional hotel capacity, and improved crowd management technology at the Grand Mosque.
As Ramadan approaches—a period when Umrah visitors traditionally surge—the infrastructure strain may intensify, potentially accelerating policy discussions. Vision 2030's success depends not only on visitor numbers but also on sustainable management that preserves the Kingdom's sacred spaces while enabling economic transformation.
