:Introduction

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) devotes increasing, persistent and heightened attention to all its statistical processes, especially the qualitative ones, which are usually associated with religious, social and economic events. Foremost of these processes is the Hajj Statistics process; an annual statistical process in which GASTAT devotes all its efforts and human and technical capabilities to come up with the intended results, providing clear and accurate information to all officials and professionals in the State's various bodies, especially the concerned ones through the data it provides on the numbers of pilgrims in general and internal pilgrims in particular. These data are used to build and document up-to-date and quality plans that inform the decisions taken to ensure the success of the Hajj season and enable these bodies to provide distinguished care for pilgrims and the guests of the Sacred House of Allah, thus making GASTAT part of the national building system that contributes to taking sound decisions regarding the pilgrimage in the years to come.

For about fifty years almost around 1390 AH, GASTAT has been engaging in a Hajj statistics process in response to the beneficiaries' needs and the demands of many parties concerned with Hajj works, based on Article 2 and 3 the State’s General Statistics Law, which provide that GASTAT is the only official statistical reference in the Kingdom that is authorized to conduct all kinds of statistics as necessary.

GASTAT extends its thanks and appreciation to all partners and clients from the concerned bodies for their cooperation in the completion of this publication. GASTAT is pleased to receive your feedback and suggestions about this publication at its e-mail (info@stats.gov.sa), aiming to improve the publication content and further improve the upcoming releases.

Methodology:

GASTAT implements all its statistical works in accordance with a unified methodology that comply with the nature of each statistical product. It relies on the Manual of the Statistical Procedures which conforms with the procedures adopted by the international organizations. The statistical product goes through eight connected stages, in addition to a ninth stage (the comprehensive "management" stage), which are as follows:

The first three stages: (Scope, design, and organization) are collaborative stages between GASTAT and its clients from the different developmental entities. However, the fourth stage (Data collection) is a collaborative stage between GASTAT and the statistical community either households or establishments, in order to complete data and information. On the other hands, the rest of the stages are considered statistical stages carried out by GASTAT, including classification “tabulation”, review, and publication). After that, the eighth stage (Assessment) is done through collaboration with clients again, whereas the (Management) stage is an administrative and the organizational stage is connected with all stages. These stages have been applied on the Hajj Statistics as follows:

First stage: scope

The first step in the process of producing (Hajj Statistics). It is also the first collaborative stage between GASTAT and Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. At this stage, workshops and meetings have been held between GASTAT and relevant authorities to reach to an understanding of their needs and to identify their requirements. The feedback provided has been taken into consideration to ensure the achievement of all Hajj Statistics' objectives, which can be summarized as follows:

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1. The main objective of the Hajj statistics process implemented by GASTAT is to provide accurate statistics on the number of internal pilgrims, which make up with the number of pilgrims from abroad the total number of pilgrims.

2. Complete all future programs intended for providing the necessary services for the pilgrims, whether social, health, security, careering, or transportation services, using a time series of accurate data on the number of pilgrims.

3. Identify the amount of manpower needed to serve the pilgrims and maintain their security and comfort during the Hajj season each year.

4. Provide accurate information and data on Hajj statistics to researchers, scholars and interested beneficiaries in this field.

5. Use the data on the numbers of pilgrims in evaluating the activities and events carried out by the authorities concerned with serving pilgrims.

Second stage: design

The stage of designing the statistical work as a whole product. Through this stage, the statistical community is determined and the methods and tools of data collection are identified. Clients collaborate in all these procedures to benefit from their feedbacks, so that all requirements can be achieved within the statistical product.

 The most important outputs of this stage are:

1. Statistical population

The statistical population of Hajj Statistics consists of all individuals (Saudis and non-Saudis) who habitually live in Saudi Arabia.

2. Statistics sources:

Hajj statistics data depend on the administrative records of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which it provides to GASTAT on an annual basis to extract its indicators and issue them in the Hajj Statistics publication.

Administrative records mean the data and information registered and updated with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in relation to Hajj statistics that are derived from the official electronic registration and documentation processes followed by the ministry.           

3. Identifying the data required form administrative records.

GASTAT has determined the nature of data required from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, which is a main source of data for pilgrims according to a number of variables, including the number of pilgrims, gender and nationality (Saudi / non-Saudi).

4. Terminologies and concepts related to Hajj Statistics.

4.1 Hajj: One of the five pillars of Islam, in which the holy places are visited during a specific time to perform Hajj rituals.

4.2 Internal pilgrims:  pilgrims who come to perform Hajj from among the residents of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

4.3 Pilgrims from abroad:  pilgrims who come to perform Hajj from outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

4.4 Holy places: geographical places located in the vicinity of Makkah al-Mukarramah, including Mina, Muzdalifah and Arafat.

5. Indicators:

Hajj statistics indicators were calculated according to the data sources as follows:

6. Adopted statistical classifications:

Classification is defined as an arranged set of related categories used for data collection based on similarity. It is the basis for collecting and publishing data in all statistical fields, such as economic activity, products, expenditures, jobs or health, etc. It allows for classifying data and information into meaningful categories to produce useful statistics. That being said, data collection requires precise and methodological arrangement based on their commonalities as to produce reliable and comparable statistics. The data and classification of Hajj Statistics are subject to the International Standards, and are particularly bases on the following classification:

National Code of Countries and Nationalities:

It is a standardized international classification for countries and their territories. This classification is based on the international standard ISO 3166 (Country codes). This classification assigns codes to countries and their territories. The use of these codes and numbers instead of using the name of countries is useful for statistical purposes by saving time and help avoid mistakes. The purpose of using this classification is to classify individuals according to nationality into Saudi and non-Saudi.

7. Coverage:

7.1 Spatial coverage:

Hajj statistics cover all pilgrims in the holy places.

7.2 Temporal coverage:

Hajj statistics cover all pilgrims visiting the holy places during Hajj season.

Third stage: organization

It is the final preparation stage preceding the data collection process. In this stage, the required workflow procedures are established for preparing the Hajj Statistics, starting with the "collection stage" and ending with the assessment stage and the organization and grouping of such procedures. The optimal sequence of those procedures is chosen to arrive at a methodology that achieves the objectives of Hajj Statistics. In this stage, the procedures adopted when preparing the previous version of Hajj Statistics have been reviewed in order to develop work procedures in this version. Those procedures were also described and documented to facilitate any updates to them in future statistics. The statistical workflow procedures were tested and examined to ensure their compliance with the requirements of preparing the Hajj Statistics Publication in its final form, approve the procedures of the statistical workflow, and develop a roadmap for implementation.

Fourth stage: collection

There has been coordination between GASTAT and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrahh to obtain the Hajj Statistics data, including the data of pilgrims by gender and nationality (Saudi/Non-Saudi). This data was saved in GASTAT's databases, and was audited and reviewed in accordance with the scientific statistical methodology and the recognized quality standards, in coordination with the issuing body.

Fifth stage: tabulation

Raw data tabulation in the Hajj Statistics relied on the coding and categorization inputs made in the data collection phase, in which all data was classified based on the National Code of Countries and Nationalities, as well as the classification to Saudis/Non-Saudis or males/females or any other data code or category.

In this stage, specialists from the Department of Hajj and Umrahh Statistics conducted data processing and analysis based on several procedures as follows:

• Sorting and arranging data in sequences or different groups or categories.
• Summarizing detailed data into key points.
• Combining many data segments and ensuring their interconnection.
• Processing lost or missing data.
• Processing illogical data.
• Converting data into a form that has statistical significance.
• Organizing, presenting and interpreting data.

Data from the Hajj Statistics was displayed in suitable tables to facilitate summarizing, understanding and drawing conclusions, as well as comparing them to other data, observing statistical significance as they relate to the study’s population and for future reference as well.

One of the most important data processing procedures that have been carried out is “data anonymization”.

To ensure data confidentiality, GASTAT removes identifiers from the input data sets obtained from the administrative records, to protect people’s privacy.

Sixth stage: review

First: Verifying data outputs:

After processing and tabulating the collected data in the fifth stage and its safety was verified, GASTAT calculates and extracts the results, after which it uploads and stores them on the database. The final reviewing processes are conducted by Hajj and Umrah statistics specialists using modern technologies and software designed for the purposes of review and audit

Second: Dealing with confidential data:

Pursuant to Royal Decree No. 23 of 07/12/1397, GASTAT is committed to the absolute confidentiality of all collected data and not use it except for statistical purposes. Therefore, data is safely stored on GASTAT’s servers.

Seventh stage: publication

First: preparing results for publishing:

In this stage, GASTAT uploaded the data results from Hajj Statistics database, and coordinated, organized and reviewed the administrative records data contained in the Hajj Statistics publication, GASTAT then prepared publication tables and graphs for the data and indicators, and added descriptive and methodological information to them. These were prepared in both Arabic and English.

Second Stage: preparing media material and announcing the Publication’s publishing date:

After publishing the date of issuing the publication on GASTAT official website at the beginning of the Georgian year, at this stage, GASTAT prepares the required media materials to announce the publication's publishing on all media outlets, as well as its social media platforms. The Hajj Statistics Publication is then published on GASTAT's official website in various open data formats, such as Excel, to ensure that this data is made available on the website’s statistics library as well as to all clients and parties interested in Tourism, Hajj and Umrah.

Third: communicating with clients and providing them with the publication: 

GASTAT gives great importance to communicating with clients who are users of its data. Therefore, GASTAT contacts clients upon publishing the Hajj Statistics Publication to provide them with it. GASTAT also receives questions and enquiries from clients regarding the publication and its results through various communication channels. Clients can contact GASTAT to request data. Questions and inquiries are received via: 

• GASTAT official website: www.stats.gov.sa 
• GASTAT’s official email: info@stats.gov.sa
• Client support email: cs@stats.gov.sa
• Visiting GASTAT HQ in Riyadh or one of its branches across the Kingdom.
• Official Letters.
• On the statistical phone (920020081)

Eighth stage: assessment

After the publication is published and received by all GASTAT’s clients, the clients are contacted again in this stage which allows for assessing the whole statistical process with the aim of constant improvement to obtain high-quality data. The improvements may include methodologies, processes, systems, statistical researchers’ skills and statistical frameworks. This stage is carried out in collaboration with data users and GASTAT’s clients through a number of steps:

First stage: collecting measurable assessment inputs:

Feedback is collected and documented from their sources across all stages, including those collected and documented during the collection stage, such as the feedback by data collectors and their field supervisors, in addition to data collected and documented during the assessment stage such as the conclusions specialists concerned with reviewing arrive at by checking and analyzing the data collected from the administrative records. Finally, feedback presented by data users is collected and documented after publication, in addition to the outputs of monitoring media outlets or the clients’ remarks which GASTAT receives through its main channels.

Second: conducting the assessment:

Collected assessment inputs are analyzed, and the results of this analysis are compared with pre-anticipated results. Accordingly, potential improvements and solutions are identified and discussed with experts and stakeholders, and the concerned stakeholders are engaged. In this stage, the clients’ use of the results of the Hajj Statistics and their satisfaction with it are measured. Based on that, recommendations are developed to enhance the quality of the results of the next Hajj Statistics outputs.

Ninth stage: management

A comprehensive stage spanning over all the stages of producing the Hajj Statistics publication. This stage determines the general production plan, including the feasibility study, risk management, means of funding, disbursement mechanisms, as well as the development performance indicators, quality parameters, human resources map necessary for production, following up on the execution of tasks assigned to all departments in every stage, and preparing reports to ensure that GASTAT fulfills its commitments towards its clients.