Saudi Arabia has unveiled major initiatives aimed at improving the experience of pilgrims performing Hajj and Umrah in the Kingdom.
The Saudi General Authority for Media Regulation on Tuesday conducted a guided tour for local and international journalists covering the 2026 Hajj to key religious, historical and heritage sites in Makkah.
The tour formed part of efforts to support media organisations reporting the annual pilgrimage.
Among the major projects showcased was the ‘Masar Destination,’ an urban development initiative designed to create a new entrance into Makkah and ease movement for pilgrims and residents.
A stakeholder in the project, Abdullaziz Al-Ghurashi, said the development stretches over 3.5 kilometres and is located close to the Grand Mosque and the Haramain train station.
According to him, the project includes large pedestrian boulevards, underground parking facilities and bus stations to improve transportation and crowd management during Hajj and Umrah seasons.
He added that the destination could accommodate about 160,000 people at a time, most of them pilgrims.
The delegation also visited the International Museum of the Prophet’s Biography and Islamic Civilisation as well as the Clock Tower Museum, also known as the Universe Sciences Centre.
Officials explained that the museum, located within the Makkah Clock Tower, has over 80 floors, with four dedicated exhibition floors showcasing the origin of the universe, the movement of the sun and moon, historical methods of time measurement and the mechanism behind the world’s largest clock.
The museum combines science and faith, offering visitors educational insights into astronomy, Islamic civilisation and the evolution of timekeeping.
At the Ka’aba Kiswah Factory, officials explained the process involved in producing the Kiswah, the black cloth used to cover the Holy Ka’aba.
Authorities said the Kiswah is produced within 10 months using hand-crafted techniques by Saudi artisans before it is replaced annually during Hajj.
Officials at the factory disclosed that the front design of the Kiswah was originally introduced by a craftsman identified as Abdulrahman, whose name remains inscribed on the covering as part of the tradition and for copyright recognition.
The media team also visited the Adahi project facility, where sacrificial animals for Hajj are processed and distributed.
Deputy Supervisor of the project, Siraj Muhammed, said the factory handles about 300,000 animals daily during the Hajj period and nearly 900,000 within the three days of sacrifice.
He said the project employs about 17,000 workers and distributes processed meat to about 27 Muslim countries across the world as part of humanitarian support programmes.
According to officials, the initiatives are part of Saudi Arabia’s ongoing efforts to enhance services, improve crowd management and ensure a more comfortable spiritual experience for millions of pilgrims visiting the Kingdom annually.