Ankara, May 13, 2024, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continued to launch the Makkah Route Initiative in the Republic of Türkiye. A lounge was set up at the Esenboga International Airport in Ankara, which is the second airport in Türkiye to have the initiative's lounges. Saudi Ambassador to Türkiye Fahd bin Asaad Abu Al-Nasr, Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin, and Vice President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Hilmi Karsli were present at the launch.
The Makkah Route Initiative aims to provide high-quality services to pilgrims from beneficiary countries visiting the Kingdom. This includes issuing an electronic Hajj visa, taking biometric data, and completing the necessary procedures in their home countries with ease and convenience. The General Directorate of Passports will ensure that health requirements are met before entering the Kingdom, and luggage will be coded and sorted according to transportation and accommodation arrangements. Pilgrims will then move directly to buses that will take them to their residence areas at Makkah and Madinah, with dedicated routes. Partner agencies will transport their luggage separately.
The Makkah Route Initiative is part of the Pilgrim Experience Program, one of the Ministry of Interior's initiatives related to the Kingdom's Vision 2030. It is being implemented for the sixth year in cooperation with various ministries such as foreign affairs, health, Hajj and Umrah, media, the General Authority of Civil Aviation, the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, and the Saudi Data and AI Authority to enhance the Hajj journey.