Over 6,300 Maldivians Make Umrah Pilgrimage this December, Minister Reveals

Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed, has revealed that over 6,300 Maldivians have travelled to Makkah, Saudi Arabia, this December to perform the Umrah pilgrimage, setting a historic record.

According to the minister, a total of 6,373 Maldivians have undertaken the journey so far, marking the highest number of pilgrims from the Maldives in a single month. Typically, around 4,000 Maldivians make the pilgrimage each December, but this year’s numbers have exceeded expectations. The Ministry now anticipates that the total figure will surpass 8,000 by the end of the month. The increase in pilgrims is partly attributed to the school holidays, which have enabled families, youth, and children to travel together.

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Most of the pilgrims have organised their trips through private Umrah tour operators. This year, the Ministry issued licences to 50 private entities to manage Umrah tours. While many Maldivians rely on these operators, some choose to travel independently.

Minister Shaheem also confirmed that all Maldivian pilgrims currently in Makkah are in good health. He emphasised the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring high-quality services for the pilgrims and warned that strict penalties would be enforced on any travel companies found violating the regulations. In response to the record number of pilgrims, the Ministry has introduced measures to identify and reward the top-performing Umrah tour operators.