Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday launched a development next to Mecca’s Grand Mosque that will add around 900,000 indoor and outdoor praying spaces, the firm tasked with delivering the project said.
The 12-million-square-meter (4.6-square-mile) mixed-use project, called “King Salman Gate,” will improve access to the Grand Mosque, the RUA AlHaram AlMakki Company said, without providing details on how much it would cost or when it would be completed.
The Grand Mosque in Makkah is Islam’s holiest and biggest mosque and the focal point for millions attending the Haj pilgrimage each year.
Saudi Arabia is in the midst of an economic transformation plan known as Vision 2030 to reduce its reliance on oil by pouring billions into sectors like tourism and infrastructure.
The Haj plays a vital role in the economy of Saudi Arabia, which aims to welcome 30 million people for the Haj and the year-round pilgrimage Umrah annually by 2030.
In 2019, Saudi earned about $12 billion from the two pilgrimages, according to official data.
Saudi Arabia’s market regulator this year said it would allow foreign investments in listed companies that own real estate within the holy sites of Makkah and Madina.
