Mabrian reveals religious travel...

Malaysia, Egypt and Brazil lead growth in air travel for Hajj pilgrimage

Travel to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual Hajj pilgrimage is experiencing a significant surge in 2025, with new figures from travel intelligence firm Mabrian highlighting record-breaking air connectivity and growing international demand.

More than 151.6 million airline seats were booked for Hajj 2025, from 1-9 June, a rise of 1.2 million seats compared to 2024 and a 3% year-on-year increase.

Malaysia leads growth with a 12.6% increase in seat availability, followed by Egypt (8.5%) and Brazil (8.2%).

The majority of Saudi's top 10 source markets by air connectivity showed an increase, with Turkiye growing 4%, Germany 3.4%, Japan 3.2% and Spain 2.7%. Only China showed a decline, with seats dropping 3%.

Mecca in Saudi Arabia

Among countries with significant Muslim populations, including Malaysia and Egypt, Ethiopia grew 5.1%, Pakistan 4.8%, while Indonesia fell by 8.6%.

When it comes to accommodation choices among pilgrims, average stays range from 1.8 nights for domestic visitors to 3.1 nights for international travellers, with Egyptians, Indonesians and British visitors staying longest at around three nights each.

Hotels remain the primary choice (88%), especially with couples, with more than a third (35.2%) choosing five-star properties, 28% opting for 4-star hotels and 19.5% selecting three-star accommodation.

Apartments proved popular with larger groups, with more than half (52.1%) booking properties for three-to-five guests and 20.6% choosing larger accommodations for more than five people. Just 2.3% are solo travellers.

“Hajj is not only a profound spiritual journey, but also a major global travel event,” said Carlos Cendra, Partner and Director of Marketing & Communications at Mabrian.

“Our data highlights how destinations, airlines, and accommodation providers may adapt to the evolving needs of religious travellers, a key and growing segment globally.”

Religious tourism plays a crucial role in Saudi’s economic diversification plan, with more than 18.5 million pilgrims from outside the kingdom performing Hajj and Umrah in 2024, and a goal to welcome 30 million by 2030.

The kingdom is enhancing the pilgrim travel experience through a number of initiatives, from easier visa process and flight booking to improved infrastructure, cultural sites and an estimated 221,000 hotel rooms located in the Holy Cities.

Mabrian was data partner for the second consecutive year for the 2025 Connecting Travel Insight Report, with the free-to-download report sharing exclusive data and analysis on developments shaping travel and tourism in the GCC region.

For more information, visit www.mabrian.com

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE 76-PAGE CONNECTING TRAVEL INSIGHT REPORT TODAY