The Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) hosted a successful roadshow today with 22 partners including DMCs, hoteliers, Umrah companies and travel associations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to announce the launch of Nusuk (nusuk.sa), the new Umrah integrated digital platform which welcomes pilgrims globally to experience Umrah.
Nusuk, an initiative launched by the Saudi Tourism Authority in collaboration with the Vision 2030 Pilgrim Experience Program was announced in the presence of the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, His Excellency Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah. Nusuk will expand the range of choices and enhance the overall experience for Muslims visiting Saudi and enable simpler arrival procedures for visitors to perform Umrah.
Nusuk, Saudi’s first-ever official integrated digital platform, offers all pilgrims and visitors an easy-to-use planning gateway for their journeys to Makkah and Madinah, and beyond. With Nusuk, travellers from all over the world can easily organise their entire visit, from applying for an e-visa to booking hotels and flights. At a later stage, Nusuk will also be used to schedule visits to important sites, find transportation, curate itineraries and interactive maps.
The Minister of Hajj and Umrah, His Excellency Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, said, “As we open our doors to welcome back the largest group of pilgrims from around the world to Saudi post the pandemic, we look forward to providing an enriching and seamless booking experience, with expanded travel options that will take them on a spiritual journey across different Islamic attractions and offerings between Makkah and Madinah to experience this life changing moment and to discover Saudi’s rich cultural and heritage offerings.
Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO and Member of the Board at Saudi Tourism Authority and Managing Director of Nusuk said, “We are committed to making Saudi more accessible to all visitors. For pilgrims we have launched the digital platform Nusuk designed for pilgrims and visitors to plan their spiritual journey seamlessly. Pilgrims from Malaysia can apply for an e-visa on the Nusuk platform and can book special packages to Makkah, Madinah and beyond. We are also working with our partners to encourage pilgrims to also explore our beautiful country and experience its many facets through our Umrah+ programmes. Saudi is welcoming the world to visit the fastest growing new destination and the last unexplored leisure tourism frontier. This presents incomparable new business opportunities for partners looking to offer experiences in Saudi that will capture the hearts, minds, and imaginations of travellers.”
Alhasan Aldabbagh, Nusuk President-APAC, said, “We are on a journey of continuous innovation and today’s launch of the Nusuk platform in Bahasa Melayu is a showcase of our agility to respond to market needs. We look forward to welcoming more travelers from Malaysia than ever before. Nusuk will make it easier and more accessible for pilgrims as to plan and book their trip, encouraging them to discover Saudi beyond their spiritual journeys.”
Malaysia is already a key tourism source market for Saudi that is deepening relations with partners and is committed to investing and working closely with local players to ensure experiences are relevant and appealing to the Malaysian market. Last year, Saudi welcomed 312,000 Malaysian visitors and this year the aim is to double visitor numbers.
To deliver on its ambitious goals, Saudi Tourism Authority announced two key initiatives at the Malaysian roadshow: enhanced Umrah+ packages and the Stopover Visa.
The enhanced Umrah+ packages are designed to enable travelers to discover Saudi as a great holiday destination with rich cultural and historical offerings, pristine nature and diverse landscapes. Saudi is home to 6 UNESCO World Heritage sites and over 10,000 archaeological sites that are waiting to be explored including Al Balad in Jeddah and Turaif in Diriyah – the birthplace of Saudi together with the mountains of Aseer and little towns offering heritage and cultural experiences – giving visitors the opportunity to experience the true home of Arabia.
The recently announced Stopover Visa is open to all leisure, business and religious travelers flying on SAUDIA and flynas. Travelers can experience a stopover in Saudi for up to 96 hours and enjoy a complimentary one-night hotel stay with Saudia. This makes Saudi a perfect destination for Malaysians traveling to Europe, UK and US.
Saudi has invested in several giga-projects such as Qiddiya, Neom and the recently announced new Murabba in Riyadh called ‘The Mukaab’ which will be the world’s largest modern downtown.
Find out more about Saudi’s tourism offerings on the Visit Saudi website or explore Nusuk at www.nusuk.sa
