Saudi Arabia will hold the sixth Hajj Conference and Exhibition in Jeddah from November 8 to 11, under the patronage of King Salman. According to Arab News, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is organising the event in cooperation with the Pilgrim Experience Program, bringing together more than 520 local and international organisations from the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
The gathering is intended to serve as a global platform that connects stakeholders across the Hajj services sector, strengthens partnerships and improves the experience offered to pilgrims. Researchers, entrepreneurs and innovators are expected to address operational challenges while showcasing the Kingdom's work in serving the Guests of Allah.
Three tracks for the conference
The Ministry says the programme will be organised around three main tracks. The infrastructure and operational services track will cover transport and logistics, infrastructure and facilities management, accommodation and hospitality, and catering, the areas that most directly shape a pilgrim's day-to-day comfort.
The empowerment and integration track will focus on security and safety, healthcare, media and communications, and technology and innovation. This reflects the growing role of digital tools and health screening in recent Hajj seasons, as the Kingdom manages the movement of large numbers of pilgrims through the holy sites.
The third track, sustainable development, will address the nonprofit sector, entrepreneurship, training and professional development, and broader efforts to enrich the pilgrim experience. Together, the Ministry says, the tracks are meant to raise coordination across the whole Hajj ecosystem rather than treating each service in isolation.
A large accompanying exhibition
Alongside the conference, a specialised exhibition will feature organisations and service providers from more than 150 countries. According to the Ministry, it will host specialised communities that bring together pilgrims' affairs offices, service providers and representatives from the aviation, transport, hospitality, healthcare, infrastructure, technology, workforce and investment sectors.
These communities are expected to meet through forums, panel discussions, roundtables, workshops and business meetings, with the event used as a venue to launch initiatives, sign agreements and present new innovations. The Ministry has framed the exhibition as a place where local, regional and international expertise can connect and formalise cooperation.
The scale of the event has grown steadily. The previous edition drew more than 204,000 visitors and featured 270 exhibitors from over 150 countries. It also included 134 specialised sessions and workshops, while its training programmes benefited more than 2,600 participants from around the world.
The conference arrives as Saudi Arabia advances preparations for the 2027 Hajj season, having begun coordination meetings with pilgrim affairs offices in more than 75 countries. Recent seasons have seen the Kingdom lean heavily on technology, health requirements and infrastructure upgrades to manage pilgrim flows, and the Jeddah forum is positioned as a showcase for that direction.
Practical notes for those interested
Organisations, specialists and companies that wish to take part can register and view the programme and schedule at hajjconfex.com, the official site named by the Ministry. Those planning to attend should note the dates, November 8 to 11, and that the event is held in Jeddah, a common arrival point for pilgrims heading to Makkah.
For pilgrims themselves, the conference is not a booking channel, and Umrah or Hajj arrangements should still be made through official platforms such as Nusuk and the approved national Hajj bodies. Prospective participants and pilgrims alike should rely on official Ministry announcements for any changes to dates or programmes, and should treat unofficial offers with caution, as authorities have warned repeatedly about fraudulent Hajj and Umrah advertisements circulating online.