"Makkah and Madinah News and Updates"

[al-Hasani]

@Gazi

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/bus.../26/-9-billion-income-from-hajj-expected.html

Read this answer below;

Does the money generated by the Hajj go to Saudi Arabia Mecca or some other organization and how is this money used? - Quora

Makkah is a city in constant development. in 10-15 years time it will look very differently. It was never a static city. Even before Prophet Muhammad (saws) was born.

This below might interest you.

There are big challenges ahead.

Can Makkah be transformed into a world-class metropolis?​

Monday, 16 February 2015

Makkah Emir Prince Khaled al-Faisal, who is also advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, stated that Makkah should be the most beautiful city in the world. “Makkah, Makkah and Makkah is at the top of my priority list,” he said. Such strong statements and affirmative promises if translated into action will surely transform not only Makkah but the adjoining region into modern urban areas with world-class amenities.

The ambitious implementation of such mega-projects requires a master plan and clear goals. A commitment within a time frame is also a must. Prince Khaled has already set the ball rolling; however, he has no magic wand. As an experienced official, he has a vision and is well informed about the latest developments in the more advanced cities of the world. He is well aware of the level of municipal efficiency and other related services applied in other countries, but we cannot expect much without proper cooperation and efficient implementation by government institutions and contractors undertaking projects in the city.

Transforming Makkah
The holy city of Makkah requires the support of every man and woman in order to transform it into a global city. There should be no room for negligence or incompetence. The task is itself daunting. It will not be easy to overhaul years of neglect, corruption and complacency. Prince Khaled took on the task in his first tenure as Makkah emir and he has now been given the opportunity to complete it. The public is eager to support him and hopefully his team will not disappoint him.

There is no substitute for hard work and time is of the essence. In the past, a lot of money went down the drain and much effort was in vain. We cannot allow ourselves to be embarrassed further by the abuse of power, mismanagement, poor services and substandard and mediocre projects.

Prince Khaled has outlined his vision and stated his goals clearly. Officials and the public should not ruin the momentum by indulging in lip-service commitments or producing false promises. Good governance and sound management must prevail. The emir needs capable partners who are innovative, creative and sincere. The people of Makkah region should rise to the occasion, exhibit civic sense and work hard to make the city of Makkah among the top cities of the world.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on February 15, 2015.

_______________


Khaled Almaeena

Khaled Almaeena is a veteran Saudi journalist, commentator, businessman and the editor-at-large of the Saudi Gazette. Almaeena has held a broad range of positions in Saudi media for over thirty years, including CEO of a PR firm, Saudi Television news anchor, talk show host, radio announcer, lecturer and journalist. As a journalist, Almaeena has represented Saudi media at Arab summits in Baghdad, Morocco and elsewhere. In 1990, he was one of four journalists to cover the historic resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Russia. He also traveled to China as part of this diplomatic mission. Almaeena's political and social columns appear regularly in Gulf News, Asharq al-Aswat, al-Eqtisadiah, Arab News, Times of Oman, Asian Age and The China Post. He can be reached atkalmaeena@saudigazette.com.sa and followed on Twitter: @KhaledAlmaeena

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/vie...al-make-Makkah-a-world-class-metropolis-.html

Leveling of mountains ‘increases risk of tremors’ in Saudi Arabia

An official said Mount Khandamah located to the southeast of the Grand Mosque will be leveled. (File photo: AFP)

By Saudi Gazette | Makkah
Sunday, 11 January 2015

Director General of the Urban Planning Administration in Makkah Municipality Fayiz Kansarah said the leveling of mountains increases the risks of earthquakes, especially the leveled areas are not utilized properly for development projects, Makkah daily reported.

Kansarah said the municipality has started carrying out plans for protecting the topography of Makkah including its mountainous nature, as leveling of the mountains increases the risk of earthquakes due to interference in its geomorphology and structure.

Kansarah stressed the removal of Jabal Omar was for public interest in order to carry out the expansion of the Grand Mosque and the need for flat land to construct roads and bridges.

At the same time, he said Al-Sudan and Khandamah mountains will not be leveled.

He said Mount Khandamah located to the southeast of the Grand Mosque will be leveled, planned and prepared for development without affecting the natural formation and morphology.

Kansarah said there are plans to assign contractors to deal with the highlands and mountains of Makkah according to the objectives of Makkah Municipality to protect Makkah’s nature without hindering development projects.

This article was first published in the Saudi Gazette on Jan. 11, 2015.

Last Update: Sunday, 11 January 2015 KSA 15:16 - GMT 12:16

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/New...ncreases-risk-of-tremors-in-Saudi-Arabia.html

New Madinah Airport (Terminal)

A palm tree was the inspiration for the design.

 

[Gazi]

@al-Hasani

Thanks for Clarification on Hajj Accommodation. Another economic Advantage of Makkah is Trade potential it has its like Tourist from around the world also visit Dubai for Shopping so as Pilgrims also buy lot of things from Makkah to take back home for gifts or as memory of their Pilgrimage to Kaaba. I think that is another potential that Saudis need to realize and develop as Makkah was also known throughout Peninsula for trade besides Pilgrimage for Thousands of year. If they are able to develop a Market near with restriction of being Closed during the period of Hajj then that would also increase lot of revenue from Makkah and Madinah as well.

 

[al-Hasani]

@al-Hasani

Thanks for Clarification on Hajj Accommodation. Another economic Advantage of Makkah is Trade potential it has its like Tourist from around the world also visit Dubai for Shopping so as Pilgrims also buy lot of things from Makkah to take back home for gifts or as memory of their Pilgrimage to Kaaba. I think that is another potential that Saudis need to realize and develop as Makkah was also known throughout Peninsula for trade besides Pilgrimage for Thousands of year. If they are able to develop a Market near with restriction of being Closed during the period of Hajj then that would also increase lot of revenue from Makkah and Madinah as well.

This thread below might interest you.

Tourist visas to be introduced in KSA

KSA has an enormous potential when it comes to tourism. KSA is already the 15th most visited country in the world. This despite there practically being no tourism sector and KSA having one of the most strict visa rules in the world. Imagine what revenues the country could generate if a real tourism sector was developed and the hajj and umrah became a bigger business? Or combining those 3.
Millions of Muslims across the world want to perform hajj each year yet only 1-1.5 million get the chance usually. For the past few years less than that due to the expansion work in Makkah and Madinah.

 

[Gazi]

This thread below might interest you.

Tourist visas to be introduced in KSA

KSA has an enormous potential when it comes to tourism. KSA is already the 15th most visited country in the world. This despite there practically being no tourism sector and KSA having one of the most strict visa rules in the world. Imagine what revenues the country could generate if a real tourism sector was developed and the hajj and umrah became a bigger business? Or combining those 3.
Millions of Muslims across the world want to perform hajj each year yet only 1-1.5 million get the chance usually. For the past few years less than that due to the expansion work in Makkah and Madinah.

If that can be introduce with Hajj and Umrah Package for those who can afford then I think Saudi Tourism can go very high at the same time people are also able to offer their Religious Rituals. That means Saudis can Target Tourists and Pilgrims at the same time.

 

[Rakan.SA]

let me know if its a repost

 

[al-Hasani]

If that can be introduce with Hajj and Umrah Package for those who can afford then I think Saudi Tourism can go very high at the same time people are also able to offer their Religious Rituals. That means Saudis can Target Tourists and Pilgrims at the same time.

That's going to be the case. The potential is huge indeed. A few issues need to be solved first and necessary infrastructure built to accommodate such high numbers of tourists from all across the world. The goal will no doubt be to turn KSA into one of the 10 most visited countries in the world. Currently KSA is number 15 or 16.
Most importantly the visa rules (which are one of the strictest out there) should also change. The regime talked about creating a tourism visa but so far it has remained as just talk, sadly.

 

[Gazi]

That's going to be the case. The potential is huge indeed. A few issues need to be solved first and necessary infrastructure built to accommodate such high numbers of tourists from all across the world. The goal will no doubt be to turn KSA into one of the 10 most visited countries in the world. Currently KSA is number 15 or 16.
Most importantly the visa rules (which are one of the strictest out there) should also change. The regime talked about creating a tourism visa but so far it has remained as just talk, sadly.

Saudis need to Adopt Dubai Model to some extent where they are Creating Job market and Tourism at the same time but in the mean time GCC Union like setup can get Saudi lot of Foreign Visitors so this could be the first Priority of Saudi Govt. as this can be done quicker then Solving Issues which can take times.

 

[al-Hasani]

Saudis need to Adopt Dubai Model to some extent where they are Creating Job market and Tourism at the same time but in the mean time GCC Union like setup can get Saudi lot of Foreign Visitors so this could be the first Priority of Saudi Govt. as this can be done quicker then Solving Issues which can take times.

KSA cannot be compared to small Dubai. KSA has the potential for several Dubai's on a smaller scale though.

By virtue of KSA's size, strategic location, Makkah and Madinah and big cultural heritage, aside from stunning landscapes, diversity (mountains, highlands, lowland, desert, steppe, tropical areas, stunning coastline, islands, ancient cities, modern cities) and current number of visitors (15th most visited country) should be enough to develop something promising without looking towards Dubai.

There are about 1.6-1.7 billion Muslims out there. Constantly increasing and getting wealthier for each year. Imagine if just 1% of those visited KSA across the span of 365 days. That's 16-17 million visitors alone.

1.4 million visitors each month. With the right tourism sector established, infrastructure and change of laws this is a very probable number that would probably increase a lot on its own eventually.

The amount of Muslims that want to/could visit KSA during hajj each year alone probably exceeds those 16-17 million with certainty.

 

[al-Hasani]

Some updates.

 

[al-Hasani]

 

[al-Hasani]

 

[Zarvan]

 

[Zarvan]

A Pakistani baby named Eshaal Khan gets a souvenir shot at the Grand Mosque in Makkah in this picture from Arab News reader Arif Khan Deshani.

@al-Hasani @JUBA @Bubblegum Crisis and other Brothers from Saudi Arabia Al Haram Mosque and Masjid e Nabwi are one part of Makkah and Madinah, Please also post pictures of other parts of Makkah and Madinah, like homes and towns and restaurants and other mosques and parks and shopping malls and universities and schools stuff like that.
@JonAsad @Altamimi @Yzd Khalifa @Arabian Legend @Rakan.SA and others

 

[Rakan.SA]

you know what i hate see going ? the 2 floor temporary tawaf.
honestly i experienced it my self its very very useful. 1st of jan this year i was staying in makkah with a friend and made umrah. i had some back and leg pain so i was walking with a cane. i could barely walk. i only did tawaf walking then used a wheel chair in safa and marwa.
those 2 floors made it possible for me. without them i dont think i could have done tawaf. cuz the ground floor was packed and ppl were over each other. there were a lot of ppl like me either had enjories or were too old or their health and body isnt strong enough for them to make tawaf on the ground floor. even a healthy young women would be hard or nearly impossible for her to do tawaf if she had a small body.
those 2 floors are life saving. ppl worry about the looks of the haram and forget about the safety and comfort of ppl.
they should really think about leaving them.. in few hours i saw enough to make me convinced it would be a mistake to remove them. today its easier for muslims from around the world to come and make umrah. its not like the past. in shaa Allah after the project is completed the haram will be full 24/7. its already full now. or most of the time
its not just practical and safe it saves lives and make it possible for many ppl to do tawaf safely. without those 2 floors in the future i think its going to be very very hard or impossible for some ppl to make tawaf. remember if you make tawaf inside the building or on the roof, depending how far you are from the kaaba, one round is equivalent to 7 rounds of tawaf near the kaaba. i also tried this.
one of the main reasons they rebuilt the building is to make it easier to make tawaf inside the building and have less pillars on your way.
also another good reason to leave them. when head of states, diplomats and VVIPs come do umrah they can use those floors instead of the ground floor. so their security wouldn't bother ppl. this is very important too. i experienced it when i went to hajj few years ago with high officials. and we had a lot of security. one smart thing they did in the new jamarat. they made an underground jamarat so high officials can go through jamarat without bothering the ppl. it really made a HUGE difference.
of course during that time the temporary tawaf wasnt there. but i saw on youtube high officials using those temporary mataf and its very clear how useful it was.

so give me your thoughts guys. should it stay or should it go ? and remember looks come last. safety and comfort of thousands of ppl come first. makkah is not the vatican lol

please tag others @Zarvan @Banu Hashim @Altamimi @Bubblegum Crisis @Mosamania @Gazi @Arabian Legend
@Yzd Khalifa @Sinan @Ahmed Jo @Gasoline @l_5LT3BRE_l @OTTOMAN @asad71 @BLACKEAGLE @AXO4D
@analyist

 

[Zarvan]

you know what i hate see going ? the 2 floor temporary tawaf.
honestly i experienced it my self its very very useful. 1st of jan this year i was staying in makkah with a friend and made umrah. i had some back and leg pain so i was walking with a cane. i could barely walk. i only did tawaf walking then used a wheel chair in safa and marwa.
those 2 floors made it possible for me. without them i dont think i could have done tawaf. cuz the ground floor was packed and ppl were over each other. there were a lot of ppl like me either had enjories or were too old or their health and body isnt strong enough for them to make tawaf on the ground floor. even a healthy young women would be hard or nearly impossible for her to do tawaf if she had a small body.
those 2 floors are life saving. ppl worry about the looks of the haram and forget about the safety and comfort of ppl.
they should really think about leaving them.. in few hours i saw enough to make me convinced it would be a mistake to remove them. today its easier for muslims from around the world to come and make umrah. its not like the past. in shaa Allah after the project is completed the haram will be full 24/7. its already full now. or most of the time
its not just practical and safe it saves lives and make it possible for many ppl to do tawaf safely. without those 2 floors in the future i think its going to be very very hard or impossible for some ppl to make tawaf. remember if you make tawaf inside the building or on the roof, depending how far you are from the kaaba, one round is equivalent to 7 rounds of tawaf near the kaaba. i also tried this.
one of the main reasons they rebuilt the building is to make it easier to make tawaf inside the building and have less pillars on your way.
also another good reason to leave them. when head of states, diplomats and VVIPs come do umrah they can use those floors instead of the ground floor. so their security wouldn't bother ppl. this is very important too. i experienced it when i went to hajj few years ago with high officials. and we had a lot of security. one smart thing they did in the new jamarat. they made an underground jamarat so high officials can go through jamarat without bothering the ppl. it really made a HUGE difference.
of course during that time the temporary tawaf wasnt there. but i saw on youtube high officials using those temporary mataf and its very clear how useful it was.

so give me your thoughts guys. should it stay or should it go ? and remember looks come last. safety and comfort of thousands of ppl come first. makkah is not the vatican lol

please tag others @Zarvan @Banu Hashim @Altamimi @Bubblegum Crisis @Mosamania @Gazi @Arabian Legend
@Yzd Khalifa @Sinan @Ahmed Jo @Gasoline @l_5LT3BRE_l @OTTOMAN @asad71 @BLACKEAGLE @AXO4D
@analyist

Well that is great thing they did and yes they have to do extension to make it easy for people.