Saudi Arabia is ready to host at least two million pilgrims as it returns to pre-pandemic levels.

A team from Qatar’s Hajj mission departed the Gulf state on Monday for this year’s Hajj season, set to begin on 26 June.

The first batch includes support units who will help facilitate a smoother experience at the holy site, the Qatar news agency reported, citing the Ministry of Endowments (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs.

“All the support units would provide the best services to the Qatari pilgrims to facilitate their performance of the Hajj rituals through coordination with all concerned authorities,” QNA reported, citing Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al Nama, the Head of Coordination and Follow-up Unit of Awqaf’s Hajj and Umrah Affairs Department.

Al Nama added that the Qatari mission has a “Call and Support Unit Center” that would be available to assist all Qatari pilgrims and provide them with “awareness, guidance and health services”.

In March, Qatari authorities completed the electronic screening of Hajj candidates for this year, giving priority to Qataris and residents who have not previously performed the pilgrimage, as well as the elderly, and those whose applications were not previously approved.

Hundreds of Qataris are expected to take part in this year’s annual pilgrimage.

The reopening of borders between Qatar and Saudi Arabia following the 2017 regional crisis has allowed more Qataris to easily travel for both Hajj and Umrah via land.

Pre-pandemic levels

This year, Saudi Arabia said it is ready to host at least two million pilgrims as it returns to pre-pandemic levels following the lifting of restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 outbreak.

According to 2019 data from Saudi Arabia’s statistics authority, the kingdom received a total of 2,489,406 worshippers, including 634,379 domestic pilgrims and 1,855,027 ones from abroad.

Then in 2020, months into the Covid-19 outbreak, Saudi Arabia slashed the numbers to below 1,000 amid global restrictions.

With the gradual easing of restrictions in 2021, Saudi Arabia welcomed 58,745 pilgrims, a much higher figure in comparison to the previous year. Last year, the number of pilgrims reached around one million.

Earlier this month, Saudi Arabia unveiled its largest Hajj operational plan in history, which includes 14,000 staff members and more than 8,000 volunteers to assist pilgrims as they perform the Islamic rituals.

“The operational plan for this year’s Hajj season is the largest in the history of the presidency, after the end of the corona pandemic and the announcement of the return of Hajj pilgrims in the millions, as per an integrated system of services prepared by the wise leadership,” Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, President of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, said in a statement.

Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and is obligatory for those who are financially and physically capable of doing so. It is required to be completed at least once during the lifetime of a Muslim.