Saudi Arabia Unveils 'King Salman Gateway' Project to Expand Sacred Mosque Capacity

Saudi Arabia has initiated a major urban development project named the "King Salman Gateway," designed to accommodate nearly one million additional worshippers adjacent to the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. This initiative is part of the broader Vision 2030 strategy aimed at reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a worldwide religious hub while diversifying its economic base.

According to reports from the Saudi Press Agency, the project will cover an area of approximately 12 million square meters and will feature comprehensive facilities, including residential units, cultural services, prayer halls, and outdoor spaces capable of hosting around 900,000 worshippers.

The authorities have yet to disclose the total cost or the timeline for the project's completion.

This announcement follows the recent completion of the third expansion of the Sacred Mosque, which has increased its capacity to over two million worshippers at once.

The project also represents an extension of significant development initiatives in Mecca, including the "Matar" project, which encompasses hotels and modern facilities providing over 40,000 hotel rooms, with an estimated cost in the billions of dollars.

Since the launch of Vision 2030 under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has been working to transform pilgrimage and Umrah into a vital economic pillar by enhancing infrastructure and expanding services for pilgrims, with a goal of attracting 30 million visitors annually by 2030.

Estimates indicate that revenues from religious rites and visits reached approximately $12 billion in 2019.

The government is also aiming to attract foreign investments in Mecca and Medina, having recently allowed foreign investors to hold stakes in publicly traded companies owning real estate in these two holy cities, a move intended to stimulate real estate investment and support infrastructure projects.