Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction Company, the owner, developer, and operator of the Masar Destination in Makkah, has launched the initial operational phase of the project, including the pilot opening of selected services and features designed to improve visitor access and mobility around the Grand Mosque. The milestone marks a significant step in modernizing the urban and visitor experience at the heart of Islam’s holiest city.
The “Visit” Package and the Masar App
As part of the pilot phase, the company introduced the “Visit” package through its Masar application, providing new digital tools designed to facilitate smoother access to the central area surrounding the Grand Mosque. The application integrates mobility solutions with digital navigation features, enabling visitors and pilgrims to plan and execute their movements more efficiently within one of the world’s most congested urban environments during peak seasons.
The “Visitor” package has been developed with the dual aim of improving the overall visitor experience and reducing traffic congestion by enabling easier, better-coordinated movement to and from the Holy Mosque. By combining real-time digital tools with on-ground mobility services, Masar seeks to provide a seamless, comfortable journey for every pilgrim and visitor entering Makkah’s central zone.
Masar: Reimagining the Heart of Makkah
Masar Destination is one of the most ambitious urban development projects in Saudi Arabia, designed to transform the area surrounding the Grand Mosque into a world-class hospitality, religious, and visitor destination. The project encompasses a mix of accommodation, retail, dining, cultural spaces, and transportation infrastructure, all oriented around enhancing the experience of the millions of pilgrims who travel to Makkah each year for Umrah, Ramadan, and the Hajj season.
Umm Al Qura for Development and Construction’s decision to launch the pilot operational phase now — in the final days of Ramadan 1447H and ahead of the Eid Al-Fitr period — reflects the project’s strategic calendar, as the company prepares its services for the intensive Hajj season expected in the coming months. With millions of worshippers already filling Makkah’s streets during the last nights of Ramadan, the timing of the pilot launch provides the company with a live environment to test and refine its mobility and digital solutions at scale.
Supporting Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Vision
The initiative reflects the broader Vision 2030 commitment to elevating Saudi Arabia’s capacity as a global destination for religious tourism, with the target of receiving 30 million Hajj pilgrims annually by 2030. Masar Destination’s infrastructure — blending technology, hospitality, and urban planning — is a cornerstone of that ambition, positioning Makkah not just as a place of worship but as a fully integrated global visitor destination.
