"Todays quota caters to 8 million Hajj and Umra pilgrims per year and the number is expected to go up to 30 million by 2030," Deputy Governor of Investment Affairs from the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), Faisal Bassarat, said after the Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum event in Jakartas Grand Hyatt hotel on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia is home to the Islamic holy cities, Mecca and Madina, to which Muslim communities from all around the world carry out their religious pilgrimage to.
The Saudi government is in charge of organizing the entrance quota to accommodate to members of Muslim communities from all over the world who wish to make their pilgrimage journey.
Furthermore, the Umra and Hajj sector acts as one of the most important sectors for the countrys economy, and as the Saudi government is seeking to further explore its non-oil and gas sector to boost their trade.
Bassarat further said that Indonesia sends the most Hajj and Umra pilgrims to Saudi Arabia, which makes it ideal for Indonesian investors to explore the sector in Saudi.
He believed that the presence of Indonesian investors in Saudi will lead to even better services to Indonesian pilgrims.
Additionally, SAGIAs Deputy Governor for Investor Services Adnan Assargi said there are a lot of other opportunities that will come with the increase of pilgrimage quota.
"There are other opportunities that come with it as well such as hotels, logistics operations and other sub-sectors that come under this sector," he remarked.
The Indonesia-Saudi Arabia Business Forum was held by the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) in cooperation with its Saudi Arabian counterpart, as the sidelines to the visit of King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Sauds visit to Indonesia.
The forum was attended by several distinguished diplomatic guests, including Indonesias Minister of Trade Enggartiasto Lukita, Chairman of the National Investment Services Agency Thomas Trikasih Lembong, Saudi Arabias Governor General of Authority of SMEs Gassan Ahmed Al Suliman, and Vice Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers Showimy Aldossari.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
