JEDDAH: Throughout its history, the city of Jeddah has played a pivotal role as the main gateway for receiving pilgrims arriving at the holy city by sea, air or land. With the increasing number of pilgrims during Hajj seasons, major challenges emerged related to housing, services, and health and environmental organization in the city.
In response to these growing pressures, the initiative to establish Pilgrims Cities, affiliated with the King Abdulaziz Endowment for Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah, emerged as one of the most prominent initiatives in the Kingdom’s early efforts to structure pilgrim services. The initiative aimed to provide a safe, integrated environment for pilgrims and Umrah performers, organize their stay, and facilitate their movement from arrival until departure.
The Sea Pilgrims City was established in 1370 AH (about 1950-1951 CE), followed by the African Pilgrims City in 1373 AH (1953-1954 CE), and the Air Pilgrims City at the old airport in 1378 AH (1958-1959 CE). These facilities were strategically located in Jeddah near maritime, air and land entry points to streamline reception procedures and provide integrated services that reduced overcrowding and improved operational order during Hajj seasons.
The establishment of these cities was a qualitative leap in the history of serving pilgrims, reflecting King Abdulaziz’s vision to ensure care for pilgrims from around the world and elevate service standards to guarantee comfort, health, and human dignity.
Mishaal Al-Otaibi from the Corporate Communications and Media Department at the King Abdulaziz Endowment for Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah told Arab News that the Pilgrims Cities represented “one of the most prominent developmental and humanitarian initiatives that contributed to the development of Jeddah and the service of pilgrims since the early years of the prosperous Saudi era.”
He noted that the Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah administration began establishing the cities sequentially according to the routes through which pilgrims arrived in the Kingdom.
The initiative, he said, was a realization of King Abdulaziz’s vision to establish a fully integrated, safe, and healthy residential environment for pilgrims and Umrah performers, particularly at a time when Jeddah faced severe overcrowding, with many pilgrims staying in streets, outskirts, or unsuitable accommodation, leading to public health and environmental pressures.
Al-Otaibi said that the administration developed fully integrated residential cities equipped with essential infrastructure and services, aimed at organizing pilgrim accommodation based on arrival routes — by sea, air, and land. The cities provided clean housing with water, electricity, and essential utilities, while also improving public health conditions and reducing pollution and congestion in Jeddah.
The facilities further supported government agencies, pilgrim guides (mutawwifs), and transport operators, while also providing commercial markets and essential services to meet pilgrims’ needs during their stay.
At the time, the Pilgrims Cities were a major urban milestone that contributed to the development of Jeddah and strengthened the role of the endowment in delivering sustainable, large-scale humanitarian services with long-term organizational impact.
Developed in successive phases, the Pilgrims Cities expanded in line with the continuous growth in the number of pilgrims arriving by sea, air, and land. They demonstrated significant operational capacity in managing large seasonal flows, with pilgrim arrivals typically beginning in Sha’ban and return movements starting in mid-Dhu al-Hijjah.
Pilgrims were systematically transferred between Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah under approved crowd management (tafweej) programs. Services included furnished accommodation, healthcare facilities, mosques, markets, and offices for Hajj-related government agencies.
Despite their efficiency, the system faced recurring operational pressure during peak seasons. The endowment addressed these challenges through continuous infrastructure upgrades and service enhancements.
According to Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah, services were provided at a nominal fee not exceeding 10 riyals per pilgrim, regardless of duration of stay, reflecting a humanitarian approach aimed at easing financial burdens and honoring pilgrims.
The endowment also assumed full supervision of the Pilgrims Cities, overseeing planning, operations, and coordination with government bodies to ensure efficient reception, accommodation, transportation, and departure processes.
From organized reception to state-led Hajj governance
The Pilgrims Cities contributed to a major transformation in Jeddah’s role as the Kingdom’s primary gateway for pilgrims, shifting reception into a structured system based on arrival modes and designated reception sites near ports, airports, and city entrances.
They also helped reduce congestion, limit informal housing, and improve urban hygiene and public health standards.
However, as reliance on the Pilgrims Cities gradually declined, responsibility shifted toward official government entities, led by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in coordination with security, health, transport, and passport authorities. This transition formed part of the Kingdom’s evolving, centralized Hajj governance system.
The historical development of these cities represents an early model of organized large-scale pilgrimage management, laying the foundation for today’s highly structured, state-led Hajj system.
This evolution aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which prioritizes Hajj and Umrah under the Pilgrim Experience Program as a strategic national sector aimed at significantly expanding capacity, most notably targeting up to 30 million Umrah performers a year, while improving safety, efficiency, and service quality.
Today, in light of the highly organized management of Hajj seasons and Vision 2030’s objectives to further increase the number of pilgrims that can be safely and efficiently received by 2030, the role of institutions such as the King Abdulaziz Endowment for Al-Ain Al-Aziziyah has become complementary rather than operational.
Accordingly, its continuing contributions during Hajj seasons are now focused on water supply and distribution, logistical support, and participation in field service initiatives in partnership with official and charitable organizations, reflecting a modern model of integrated institutional cooperation in serving pilgrims.
