HAJJ AND UMRAH CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2024: A Confluence of Thought Leaders and Innovators

Abdulfattah Abdussalam

As the grandest exhibition on earth, the Hajj and Umrah Conference & Exhibition 2024 ends the experience and decisions at the occasion shall be a step into the realm of innovation and exploration, dedicated solely to revolutionize pilgrims’ journeys to the Holy Lands aiming to provide them with exceptional and meaningful experiences.

The Conference and Exhibition was an annual event that united prominent thinkers, innovators, researchers, and entrepreneurs while striving to improve pilgrimage services. It’s a crucial platform for fostering regional and international conversations with diverse Arab and Islamic communities. Aligned with the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, it emphasizes transforming the Hajj and Umrah ecosystem. The conference featured scientific sessions, workshops, and training seminars led by distinguished decision-makers, experts, and academics. The exhibition centred on service providers in transportation, healthcare, logistics, supply, insurance cover, communications, catering and discussions on various topics, including the media’s role in disseminating information about Hajj rituals. 

The events superintended by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah were more than just an assembly of high-profile speakers, industry pundits, and industrialists. It gave opportunities to participants for direct meetings with international ministers and heads of delegations, fostering opportunities for meaningful exchanges and collaboration. Engage with key service providers to address and prioritize the specific needs of pilgrims, ensuring their requirements are effectively communicated and met. In addition, the conference showcased and promoted innovative services tailored to enhance the Hajj and Umrah sectors in alignment with the evolving expectations and preferences of pilgrims.  Establish agreements and partnerships with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj, Umrah, fostering cooperation and synergy to forge a bold path towards a brighter future for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.

Furthermore, countries in attendance actively participated in panel discussions, contributing insights, strategies, and future goals to enrich the Hajj and Umrah experience in alignment with the Saudi Vision 2030. 81 speakers from the public and private sectors, both inside and outside the Kingdom and high-level delegations, including senior figures, Islamic affairs ministers, heads of Hajj missions and higher commissions from more than 200 countries, were in attendance. 

Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfig Al-Rabiah, delivered the inaugural address. He shed light on the significance and objectives of the annual conference. ‘Despite the rising costs associated with Hajj and Umrah, Dr Tawfig Al-Rabiah reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s unwavering commitment to offering superior facilities to pilgrims’.Dr Tawfig Al-Rabiah emphasized the Saudi government’s dedication to improving pilgrim services globally by introducing innovative technologies and services.

The opening ceremony brimmed with high-profile attendees, including ministers, ambassadors, consuls, and representatives from over 200 entities in the Hajj and Umrah sectors. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Malam Yusuf Tuggar, Malam Jalal Ahmad Arabi, OON, FWC the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Chairman, Nigeria’s acting Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, Mahmud Lele, Nigeria’s Consul General in Jeddah, Bello Kazaure, a dignified delegation of the Leadership of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria (AHUON), Captains of Nigeria’s Hajj aviation sector, Secretaries and Chairmen of Muslim Pilgrims’ welfare boards and commission were part of Nigeria’s delegation.

The Nigerian delegation at the Conference signed different agreements with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. It also discussed how best to improve services for Nigerian pilgrims in 2024 Hajj Operations. Nigeria’s delegation, led by the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, noted that the arrangements the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had put in place would improve the 2024 Hajj operations and ensure the safety and comfort of Nigerian pilgrims. The agreements also focused on the airlifting of Nigerian pilgrims, accommodations, and feeding of pilgrims to ensure a seamless 2024 Hajj and Umrah operations. In Hajj operations, Nigeria contributes the 4th highest number of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and the 5th during Umrah.

The conference, which aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, was a confluence of Thought Leaders and Innovators to drive advancements in pilgrimage services. The main goals include attracting leaders for knowledge enrichment, developing partnerships, and exchanging best practices.  

The broader aim is to help transform the Hajj and Umrah, presenting the vision for Makkah’s future to the world and a gateway for investors, innovators, and those interested in developing the Hajj and Umrah sector. The theme was “A Passage to Nusuk,” aiming to enhance readiness, face challenges and exchange experiences. For the first time, the event was organised and sponsored by the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

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