JEDDAH: The number of Umrah visas issued this year has reached 2,555,201, of which 2,183,031 pilgrims have arrived in the Kingdom, according to data provided by the Hajj and Umrah Ministry.
There are 408,611 pilgrims still in the Kingdom, with 286,568 in Makkah and 122,043 in Madinah.
Most pilgrims — 1,991,448 — came to the Kingdom by air, while 184,580 entered by land and 7,003 arrived by sea.
The largest number of pilgrims are from Pakistan (600,015) followed by Indonesia (394,027), India (281,589), Malaysia (130,793), Yemen (113,247), Egypt (63,217), Turkey (60,086), the UAE (56,412) and Bangladesh (52,848).
The Vision 2030 reform plan aims to attract more than 30 million Umrah pilgrims, and provide them with excellent services.
Last year, the ministry launched a weekly indicator whereby authorities can track the number of pilgrims coming into the Kingdom, and in turn enrich their experiences by providing high-quality services.
More than 2.5m Umrah visas issued so far
More than 2.5m Umrah visas issued so far
- The Vision 2030 reform plan aims to attract more than 30 million Umrah pilgrims, and provide them with excellent services
Saudi chef wins culinary competition
- Event aimed to empower chefs’ ability to showcase talent on global scale
- Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani: It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces
RIYADH: A Saudi has won the Saudi Elite Chefs competition at Horeca Riyadh.
The event, which was organized by the Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture, in alignment with the ministry’s long-term goals, aimed to empower Saudi chefs’ ability to showcase their talent and creativity on a global scale.
Speaking to Arab News, the winner, Bayan Abdullah Al-Sudani, shed light on how the competition equipped her with confidence for the future, saying: “It was a big challenge, and I faced off against strong chefs. It (has) encouraged me to participate in more challenging spaces.”
On her future plans, Al-Sudani wants to give back to the industry, and added: “I look forward to opening the Bayan Academy soon so that I can support chefs and help them with the pastry sector specifically.”
Celebration and achievement were echoed throughout, and it was evident at the event that the culinary industry in the Kingdom is hungry for growth, recognition, and global competition.
Seba Zarea, general manager of strategy and program delivery at the Culinary Arts Commission, told Arab News of the many facets of the industry that the ministry was prioritizing.
Zarea said: “This competition is just one of the initiatives that the Culinary Arts Commission is working on. There are also local scholarships (and) vocational training. We are also working on attracting the best culinary schools to Saudi. For example, Le Cordon Bleu is opening next year in Misk City.”
Zarea stressed the rewards of events like the Saudi Elite Chefs competition, adding that the winner had a fast track to Bocuse d’Or and the World Pastry Cup — representing global opportunities to place both competitors and Saudi cuisine on the map.
Zarea added: “Food is a soft power and, in terms of tourism, food is a universal language so we codified the Saudi cuisine, an initiative started four years ago, and we came up with more than 1,300 codified recipes, items, and local produce from the Kingdom.”
Zarea went into depth on some of the behind-the-scenes efforts that have helped create the food that the Kingdom is able to showcase.
She shared the example of the Wild Plant Initiative, a program designed to explore plants of various regions in the Kingdom to discover new ingredients that can be integrated into Saudi cuisine.
These efforts go into helping to build an industry that is rooted in culture, creativity, and passion.
In the same way that the Saudi Elite Chefs competition provides its winners and participants with the tools to bring their success to global attention, the Culinary Arts Commission works to elevate the Kingdom’s cuisine through tourism and hospitality.
Zarea said: “This sector is the easiest way to showcase the culture.”
