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Umrah and Ziyarah Forum Returns Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region

Umrah and Ziyarah Forum Returns Under the Patronage of His Royal Highness (HRH) Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region

Zawya18-03-2025

City of Madinah to host forum with spotlight on elevating ​every step of the ​​​​​ Umrah​ journey​​ ​
Presented by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, the three-day event will welcome over 150 exhibitors and 25,000 visitors
Content sector focus includes technology, healthcare, airlines, mobility, and transport
Event organisers Tahaluf to bring award-winning organisational expertise to expand the forum's reach
The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum (UZF) (https://Umrah-Ziyarah.com/) is returning for its second edition from April 14 to 16, 2025 (16 – 18 Shawwal 1446H), at the King Salman International Convention Center in Madinah, Saudi Arabia with an expanded profile, renewed content focus and new organisers.
Held under the esteemed patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Governor of the Madinah Region, and presented by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, UZF 2025 will set new benchmarks for ​the Umrah journey ​, building upon the remarkable success of its inaugural edition. The event will bring together Umrah service providers, business leaders, policymakers, and innovators ​worldwide​, reaffirming Saudi Arabia's commitment to enriching the journey of the Guests of Allah while driving investment and transformation in the sector.
The event​ ​​is​ the largest and only of its kind, with the 2025 edition organised for the first time by Tahaluf, the strategic joint venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and the Events Investment Fund.
The event will see an expanded global presence, welcoming attendees and exhibitors from more than 70 countries and introducing new content sectors, including technology, healthcare, airlines, mobility, and transport, to explore how cross-industry advancements can streamline the ​Umrah​ experience. The event will be a dynamic mix of a world-class conference, ​an ​immersive exhibition, and insightful workshops.
'UZF 2025 is more than a forum; it is a movement dedicated to elevating the Umrah and Ziyarah journey through collaboration, investment, and innovation. We are privileged to be ​responsible for organising this unique and important global gathering that will shape the future of pilgrimage services and enhance the experience for millions of visitors,' said ​​Faariss ​​​ ​Khalil, ​Exhibition​​ ​Director​, Tahaluf​
With the tagline 'Enriching Every Step of the Umrah Journey,' UZF 2025​, sponsored by the Saudi Tourism Authority,​ aligns with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 developmental blueprint by serving as a catalyst for development and cultural awareness, in Makkah and Madinah, fostering collaboration, digital innovation, and service excellence. The Kingdom's impressive milestone of welcoming over 14 million visitors to Madinah in 2023 underscores the growing importance of a seamless and spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage experience.
Among the UZF 2025 line-up of sponsors, Rua Al Madinah Holding (Official Partner), Al Rajhi for Umrah (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Tasheer (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠Knowledge Economic City (Strategic Sponsor), ⁠SAR (Platinum Sponsor), ⁠Taibah Investments (Makarem) (Platinum Sponsor), Tawuniya Insurance (Official Insurance Partner), Movenpick (Gold Sponsor) and ⁠Mansky (Bronze Sponsor) who will showcase pioneering solutions to enhance Umrah services and foster long-term industry collaborations. The event is also expected to attract more than 25,000 visitors, including business leaders, investors, Umrah travel experts and professionals, decision makers, diplomatic representatives, non-profit organisations, media, entrepreneurs and innovators, ​and Umrah ​sector operators.
Attendees will gain exclusive insights from high-level decision-makers, thought leaders, and global stakeholders through a dynamic conference program. The conference will feature deep discussions on the future of Umrah services, digital transformation, and operational excellence. Additionally, the accompanying exhibition will showcase innovations across hospitality, transport, sustainable practices, and smart pilgrimage services, setting a new benchmark for ​Umrah ​​​​​ experiences worldwide.
Tahaluf, which is behind some of Saudi Arabia's biggest events, including the Kingdom's award-winning technology event LEAP, is leveraging its strong organisational and marketing capabilities to expand the forum's content and global reach and solidify UZF as the premier global platform dedicated to enhancing the Umrah and Ziyarah experience.
For more information, visit: https://Umrah-Ziyarah.com/.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Umrah and Ziyarah Forum.
About Umrah and Ziyarah Forum 2024:
The Umrah and Ziyarah Forum bring together decision-makers, experts, and innovators from various fields related to Umrah and Ziyarah. Additionally, it will feature significant participation of leading organizations, authorities, and dynamic companies from both within the Kingdom and abroad. During the forum 2024, six roundtable discussions were held, along with six focus groups, with participation from forty-two speakers.
About Tahaluf:
Headquartered in Riyadh, Tahaluf brings together strategically important commercial communities from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the wider Gulf region, and from around the world to a portfolio of world-class exhibitions and digital platforms.
Tahaluf is a joint venture partnership between Informa PLC, the world's largest trade show organiser, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones (SAFCSP), and Events Investment Fund (EIF). Sela, the Saudi-owned event production company renowned for its creation of spectacular event experiences, intends to join the joint venture in the near future.
In 2024 Tahaluf was responsible for the award-winning tech events LEAP&DeepFest, as well as 24 Fintech, the Global Health Exhibition, Cityscape Global, Black Hat MEA and CPHI.
For more information about Tahaluf, visit https://Tahaluf.com

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