Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Sep 2026, 11:04 AM (Saudi time)
Knight Frank reports that Makkah and Madinah hotel demand stayed strong in early 2026, with Makkah room rates averaging $209 and more than 218,000 rooms and residences planned across the holy cities.
Saudi Arabia's Hajj 2027 roadmap gives Nigeria a tight timetable, with pilgrim registration expected to close around September 26, 2026 and visa issuance beginning in January 2027.
More than 80,000 Pakistanis registered for Hajj 2027 in the first three days of the government's drive, which opened June 22 and runs on a fully digital, paperless system.
Saudi Arabia will require Hajj affairs office staff to complete mandatory training before receiving visas and permits for the 2027 season, part of a broader service overhaul.
The eastern expansion of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, part of the Third Saudi Expansion, adds more than 36,500 square metres of space with a new prayer hall, glass domes and shaded courtyards to boost capacity and comfort.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed the 1448 AH Umrah season calendar, setting March 9, 2027 as the final date for visa issuance, March 23 for pilgrim entry and April 7 for departure, alongside a reduced 30-day visa validity window.