Italian pilgrims arrive in Madinah for Hajj

The first group of pilgrims using the Nusuk Hajj platform arrived on Thursday at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport from Italy. (Supplied)

• After landing, the pilgrims were greeted with a welcome ceremony and gifted flower bouquets, dates and Zamzam water bottles
• The arrival of the first flights of registered pilgrims was fulfilled through the Nusuk electronic platform

RIYADH: The first group of pilgrims using the Nusuk Hajj platform arrived on Thursday at Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Airport from Italy.
After landing, the pilgrims were greeted with a welcome ceremony and gifted flower bouquets, dates and Zamzam water bottles.
The arrival of the first flights of registered pilgrims was fulfilled through the Nusuk electronic platform, which was launched by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah four months ago to facilitate entry procedures.
Hajj has seen an increase in the number of pilgrims since the pandemic, the lifting of age restrictions, in addition to the ending of guardianship rules for women.
The Nusuk platform, available in seven languages, allows pilgrims from 67 countries to register and book electronically. Service packages consisting of housing, food, flight guidance, and transportation are available for purchase and booking.
The platform has additional services such as interactive maps, a calendar dedicated to offers and activities, a digital guide, and information and health services.
Nusuk is part of the initiatives launched by one of the Saudi Vision 2030 schemes, the Guests of God Service Program. The program aims to enrich religious and cultural experiences in the Kingdom.