Methodology and Quality Update

Latest Update on Methodology and Quality

 2025/08/18

Statistical Presentation

Data description

Umrah statistics show data on the number of Umrah performers from inside and outside Saudi Arabia.
The data on key characteristics were collected as follows:
•    Internal Umrah performers. 
•    External Umrah performers.
•    Internal Madinah visitors.
•    External Madinah visitors.
Data is also used to estimate: 
•    Distribution of internal Umrah performers by the number of times they perform Umrah.
•    Distribution of internal Umrah performers by age groups.
•    Distribution of internal visitors to Madinah by the number of times they visit.
•    Distribution of internal visitors to Madinah by age groups. 

Classifications

The following classifications are applied in Umrah statistics:
The Saudi Classification for Educational Levels and Specializations:
A statistical classification based on the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED_11) and (ISCED_13) for education and training, issued by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It serves as the reference classification for organizing educational programs and qualifications according to their levels and fields of study. It comprehensively covers all educational programs, levels, and methods, spanning from early childhood education to higher education levels.
This classification is used in the Umrah Statistics to categorize individuals aged 15 years and older according to their specializations and educational levels.
National Code of Countries and Nationalities (3166 ISO – codes Country):
A statistical classification based on the international standard  (ISO 3166_Country codes), which is a standard issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO of the UN), and this classification gives numeric and literal codes for the world’s (248) countries, based on the classification of countries. 
The classification is used in the Umrah Statistics to classify Saudi or non-Saudi individuals.
The classifications are available on GASTAT’s website:  www.stats.gov.sa

Statistical concepts and definitions

Terms and concepts of Umrah Statistics:
•    Umrah:
It is the pilgrimage to the Holy House of Allah (Kaaba) to perform rituals consisting of Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, and either shaving or trimming the hair. 
•    Umrah Performer (Mu'tamir):
A Muslim who intends to perform the rituals of Umrah at the Holy House of Allah.
•    Visit to Madinah:
It is the temporary relocation of an individual from their usual residence to the city of Madinah for the purpose of visiting the Prophet’s Mosque and related religious sites, without the intention of permanent residence.
•    Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Makkah):
The holiest city for Muslims, home to the Masjid Al-Haram and the Kaaba, the Qiblah (direction of prayer) for Muslims. It is also the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Located in the western part of Saudi Arabia, Makkah has received great attention from the Kingdom’s rulers and continues to be cared for to provide the best services for Umrah performers and pilgrims.
•    Al-Masjid Al-Haram:
The largest mosque surrounding the Kaaba, referred to as the Sacred Mosque. The entire sanctuary is called Masjid Al-Haram, with the Kaaba located at its center.
•    Ihram: 
The state of entering the worship of Umrah, initiated by the intention (niyyah) of performing Umrah and beginning the recitation of Talbiyah. Once in Ihram, certain actions that were previously permissible become forbidden for the person in Ihram.
•    Miqat (Entry Points for Ihram):
These are specific geographic points from which a pilgrim intending to perform Umrah or Hajj must enter the state of Ihram. A pilgrim may assume Ihram at the Miqat itself or upon passing near it by land, sea, or air. There are five Miqats for residents of those areas and for those passing through:
•    Dhul-Hulayfah Miqat:
Miqat for residents of Madinah and those coming via Madinah, currently known as Abyar Ali, approximately 420 km from Makkah.
•    Al-Juhfah Miqat:
Miqat for residents of the Levant (Sham), Egypt, Sudan, and Maghreb countries, and those passing by on their way to Hajj or Umrah. It is near the highway connecting Makkah and Madinah, about 186 km from Makkah.
•    Yalamlam Miqat:
Miqat for residents of Yemen and travelers passing by. Located south of Makkah on the coastal road, about 120 km from Makkah.
•    Dhat Irq Miqat:
Miqat for residents of Iraq and beyond, about 100 km from Makkah.
•    Qarn al-Manazil Miqat:
Miqat for residents of Najd, now used by pilgrims from the East who travel by land such as those coming from Gulf countries. It is located between Makkah and Ta’if, about 75 km from Makkah. It is now commonly known as Al-Sail Al-Kabir. The Wadi Muharram Miqat is an extension of this Miqat located in the same valley on the route now called Al-Hada, but it is not considered a separate Miqat

Data sources

The Umrah Statistics publication data rely on three sources:
First source: The statistical surveys are represented by the Umrah and Madinah visit survey. 
The main published variables of the Umrah and Madinah visit survey data are the following:
•    Distribution of internal Umrah performers by sex, nationality, and administrative regions.
•    Distribution of internal Umrah performers by months, type of housing, and means of transportation.
•    Distribution of internal visitors to Madinah by sex, nationality, and administrative regions.
•    Distribution of internal visitors to Madinah by months, type of housing, and means of transportation.
Second source: from the administrative records of Umrah statistics:
•    Pilgrim Experience Program of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
•    Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
•    Ministry of Tourism – from tourism demand survey data
The main published variables from the administrative data source are:
•    Number of external Umrah performers by sex and months.
•    Percentage of external Umrah performers by age groups and entry points.
•    Number of external visitors to Madinah by sex and months.
Third source: Statistical models:
Statistical models and estimates are used to verify the accuracy of data obtained from administrative records and statistical surveys by conducting comparisons and analyses that reveal their consistency and precision.

Designing the data collection tool

Steps for designing the form:
•    Defining objectives and indicators.
•    Identifying the target group.
•    Organizing the questions by sections.
Sections of the form:
•    Demographic data.
•     Umrah performance data.
•    Details of the Umrah trip.
•    Data on visiting Madinah.
•    Details of visiting Madinah. 
•    Head of household data. 

https://www.stats.gov.sa/documents/d/guest/-2025-r-25-q-us

Applied statistical estimation:
The General Authority for Statistics relied on the approved formulas to calculate the key indicators of Umrah statistics as follows.
•    Total Umrah performers = number of internal Umrah performers + number of external Umrah performers.
•    Total internal Umrah performers = number of Saudi internal Umrah performers + number of non-Saudi internal Umrah performers.
•    Total external Umrah performers = number of male external Umrah performers + number of female external Umrah performers.
•    Total internal visitors to Madinah = number of Saudi internal visitors to Madinah + number of non-Saudi internal visitors to Madinah. 
•    Total external visitors to Madinah = number of male external visitors + number of female external visitors.

Questionnaire test (cognitive test)

Cognitive testing of the survey form was conducted using a random sample of households distributed across the regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, taking into account variations in educational level, age group, gender, and nationality among the participants.
During the cognitive testing process, the following evaluation pillars were taken into consideration: The overall concept of the question, clarity of question wording, clarity of terms used in the question, appropriateness of the response options, participants’ ability to answer the questions effectively, and the extent to which participants were willing to disclose their answers. This process resulted in a report summarizing the full findings of the cognitive test.

Statistical population

The statistical population for the Umrah statistics survey consists of all Saudi and non-Saudi households and individuals residing in private housing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Sample Design

Sampling frame:
The list of all private housing units from the 2022 General Population and Housing Census was used as the sampling frame for the survey. It includes all household data and characteristics such as household nationality, number of individuals, geographic data, and more.
Sample Design:
The sample was designed using a two-stage stratified systematic cluster random sampling method. In the first stage, a random sample of primary sampling units (enumeration areas) was selected for each stratum of the approved sample design. In the second stage, a systematic random sample of housing units (households) was selected within each chosen primary sampling unit.
To increase the efficiency of the sample and enhance its representation of the target population, the primary sampling units in the sample frame were classified into homogeneous strata as follows: In order to obtain more accurate results compared to a simple random sample of the same size, in addition to providing a sufficient number of households at publishable levels with acceptable precision, the governorates were used as actual strata.
The estimated sample size reached 15,615 households at the national level. The total sample size for the Kingdom was first estimated, then distributed across the final target strata (administrative governorates) using proportional allocation within each administrative region. 
Table1: Distribution of data at the level of administrative regions:

Statistical unit (sampling unit)

The statistical unit in the Umrah Statistics publication is the household.

Data collection

Data collection from the survey:
Data on internal Umrah performers and visitors to Madinah are collected through computer-assisted personal interviews (CAPI).
Data collection from administrative records:
In coordination with the relevant departments of the Authority responsible for data collection and management, administrative records for the Umrah Statistics publication are obtained from the Pilgrim Experience Program of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. These records include data on the number of Umrah performers, age group percentages, and points of entry. As well as records from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah concerning data on internal Umrah performers. External visitors to Madinah data are obtained from the Ministry of Tourism, which includes the number of visitors and points of entry. 
The data will be stored in the authority’s databases after being audited and reviewed by established statistical methods and recognized quality standards concerning the data source in the event of any discovered errors or observations related to the data.

Data collection frequency

Quarterly.

Reference area

The Umrah statistics cover:
•    All thirteen administrative regions for Umrah performers and visitors to Madinah within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
•    This coverage pertains to the cities of Makkah and Madinah, specifically for Umrah performers and visitors arriving from outside the Kingdom. This coverage is based on administrative records obtained from the Pilgrim Experience Program and the Ministry of Tourism.

Reference period (time reference)

All data related to Umrah statistics are based on the period from the first day to the last day of the reference quarter.

Base period

Not applicable.

Measurement unit

•    Most results are measured by numbers (such as: The number of Umrah performers and visitors to Madinah).
•    Some indicators are calculated as rates (such as: Percentage of external Umrah performers according to port of entry).

Time coverage

Data is available from 2016 as annual statistics and from 2024 as quarterly statistics up to the current quarter.

Publication frequency

Quarterly.

Statistical processing

Error detection

A set of validation rules was established on the survey questionnaire to ensure data quality and accuracy. These rules have been classified as follows:
•    Number of error rules: 51 rules.
•    Number of alert rules: 26 rules.
•    Number of navigation rules: 14 rules.
These rules aim to detect potential errors, alert the respondent when unusual values are entered, and ensure smooth navigation between the survey questions.

Data integration and matching from multiple sources 

Data are reviewed and matched to ensure their accuracy and precision in a way that suits their nature with the aim of giving the presented statistics quality and accuracy. 
The data of the current quarter for publication are compared with the data of the previous quarter to ensure their accuracy and consistency during the preparation phase for data processing, extraction, and review of results.
In addition to processing and tabulating the data to verify their accuracy, all outputs are stored and uploaded to the database after being calculated by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT). These outputs are then reviewed and processed by specialists in the Tourism, Hajj, and Umrah Statistics Department using modern technologies and software designed for this purpose.

Imputation and calibration

Compensation (for non-response cases or incomplete datasets): 
Statistical inference methods are used to impute missing values based on the type of data (categorical or numerical). Numerical values are imputed using the arithmetic mean within groups, while categorical values are imputed using measures of qualitative association.
How to calculate sampling weights:
Design weight Reflects the selection probability of each household in the sample. It is calculated as the inverse of the selection probability, as follows:
If the selection probability of household i in stratum h is denoted by π_hi, then the weight of the selected household in the sample is calculated as follows:

Weight adjustment due to non-response:
Weight adjustment to compensate for non-response or missing data to ensure proper representation of the sample. This adjustment is made after data collection and identifying the response cases, and is calculated using the following formula:

 
Where R denotes responding cases and NR denotes non-responding cases.
Final adjustment (weight calibration)
If the survey indicators relate to the individual rather than the household, the weights are calibrated (adjusted) to align with the population distribution based on known characteristics such as age, sex, nationality, and administrative region. This is done as follows:
    Adjustment categories called post-strata are created by combining the variables mentioned above. The updated population totals for each adjustment category are obtained from population projections  g  . 
    The totals of the weights adjusted for non-response are calculated within each adjustment categoryg .
    The weight calibration factor is calculated by dividing the population totals by the total weights within each adjustment category g. 
The following equation illustrates the weight calibration mechanism.

Seasonal adjustments

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Adjustment of preliminary results 

Not applicable, only final results will be published.

Used Resources

Quality dimensions

Suitability

A criterion that indicates the extent to which the product meets users’ needs .

User needs

Internal users in the GASTAT for Umrah statistics data:
•    Department of customer support.
Some external users and beneficiaries greatly benefit from Umrah statistics, including:
•    Government entities.
•    Regional and international organizations.
•    Research institutions.
•    Media.
•    Individuals.

Completeness 

Umrah statistics data are based on two main sources in order to provide comprehensive information on the Umrah sector in Saudi Arabia, and the data status is complete.

Accuracy and reliability

A standard that measures how close the calculations or estimates are to the exact or true values that reflect reality.

Overall accuracy

•    The data collected is improved through the researchers, that have been selected according to a set of practical and objective criteria and training program related to the field of work.
•    Alert, prevention, and correction rules are applied during the data collection process on the electronic questionnaire for the Disability Survey to improve data quality.
•    Data is checked with previous years to identify any significant changes in the data.
•    The internal consistency of the data is checked before it is finalized.
•    The links between variables are checked and coherence between different data series is confirmed.

Timeliness and punctuality

A standard that measures the time gap between the availability of information and the occurrence of the event.
However, timeliness reflects the time difference between the date of data publication and the target date when it is actually published.

Timeliness

The General Authority for Statistics is committed to applying internationally recognized standards regarding the announcement, clarification of the time of publishing statistics on its official website, as outlined in the statistical calendar, as well as adhering to the announced time of publication. In the event of any delay, updates will be provided accordingly.

Punctuality

The publication is done according to the publication dates in the statistical calendar published for the Umrah statistics on the website page of the General Authority for Statistics.
The data are available at the expected time, as scheduled in the statistical release calendar, If the publication is delayed, reasons shall be provided.

Coherence and comparability

A standard that refers to the necessity of internal and temporal consistency of statistics, their logical coherence, and their comparability and integration across different regions and sources.

Comparability – geographical

The data is geographically comparable.

Comparability - over time

The statistics began in 2016, and the following are the main changes that have occurred in recent years:
•    From 2016 to 2019: 
Umrah statistics are based on an annual statistical survey.
•    From 2020 to 2023:
Umrah statistics are based on annual administrative data.
•    2024:
Umrah statistics are based on administrative data and preliminary estimated data from statistical models, published on a quarterly basis.
•    2025:
Umrah statistics are based on administrative data, statistical surveys, and preliminary estimated data from statistical models, published quarterly. Data on visitors to Madinah have also been added to the Umrah statistics.

Coherence- Cross domain

Not applicable.

Coherence- Sub-annual and annual statistics

Not applicable.

Coherence- National Accounts 

Not applicable.

Coherence- Internal

The estimates of Umrah statistics for the reference period have full internal consistency, as they are all based on the same precise dataset and are calculated using the same estimation methods.

Accessibility and clarity

The ability for users to access data, the availability of accurate or complete data, and the availability of a methodology and quality report.

Press releases

The announcements for each publication are available on the statistical calendar as mentioned in 10.1. The press releases can be viewed on the website of GASTAT on the link: 
Press release

Publications

GASTAT issues Umrah statistics publications and reports regularly within a pre-prepared dissemination plan and is published on GASTAT’s website. GASTAT is keen to publish its publications in a way that serves all users of different types, including publications in different formats that contain (publication tables, data graphs, indicators, metadata, methodology, and questionnaires) in both English and Arabic.
Results of Umrah statistics are available on:
Umrah Statistics

On-line database

The data is published on the statistical database:
GASTAT (stats.gov.sa)

Microdata accessibility

Accurate data is unit-level disaggregated data obtained from multiple sources such as sample statistical surveys, general population and housing censuses, and administrative systems, providing detailed information about the characteristics of individuals, families, business entities, and geographical areas, supporting the construction and development of statistical indicators and scientific research.
The different types of microdata files to meet different information needs:
•    Public use: 
It consists of sets of records containing information on individuals, households, or business entities anonymized in such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly such as: (name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents) such as: (age, occupation, education etc.).
•    Scientific use:
These files established based on specific methodology asked by data requester to extract the datasets with specific characteristics used for strategic studies and decision making as well scientific research purposes on individuals, households, and enterprises with no direct identifiers, which have been subject to control methods to protect confidentiality.
Qualified users who meet the standards and procedures of confidentiality protection can access the files of scientific use of accurate data through the platform "ITAHA" of the General Authority for Statistics, while the most sensitive data for use is shared by visiting the accurate data laboratory within a secure environment managed by the Authority.

References and standards

Concepts, definitions, issues, and classifications are based on internationally recognized standards by following the stages of statistical work contained in the General Model of Statistical work procedures (GSBPM) from the stage of identification of need to the stage of evaluation.Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM)

Quality assurance

GASTAT considers the following principles: Impartiality, ensuring that the statistical product is user-oriented, maintaining the quality of processes and outputs, enhancing the effectiveness of statistical operations, and reducing the burden on respondents. 
Data is validated through procedures and quality controls that are applied during the process at various stages, such as: (data entry, data collection, and other final controls).

Quality assessment

GASTAT performs all statistical activities according to a national model (Generic Statistical Business Process Model – GSBPM). According to the GSBPM, the final stage of statistical activities is overall evaluation using information gathered in each stage or sub-process. This information is used to prepare the evaluation report, which outlines all the quality issues related to the specific statistical activity and serves as input for improvement actions.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality - Policy

According to Royal Decree No. 23 dated 07/12/1379, data must always be kept confidential and must be used by GASTAT for statistical purposes only.
Therefore, the data is protected in the data servers of GASTAT.

Confidentiality - Data Treatment

Data of SMEs survey are presented in the right tables in order to summarize, understand, as well as extract their results. Moreover, to compare them with other data, and to obtain statistical significance about the selected study population. However, referring to such data indicated in tables is much easier than going back to check the original questionnaire that may include some data like names and addresses of individuals, and names of data providers, which violates data confidentiality of statistical data.
“Anonymity of data” is one of the most important procedures. To keep data confidential,
GASTAT removed information on individual persons, households, or business entities such a way that the respondent cannot be identified either directly such as: (name, address, contact number, identity number etc.) or indirectly (by combining different - especially rare - characteristics of respondents) such as: (age, occupation, education etc.).

Dissemination policy

Statistical calendar

The Umrah statistics have been included in the statistical calendar.
Statistical Calendar

User access

One of GASTAT’s objectives is to better meet its clients' needs, so it immediately provides them with the results of the publication once the Umrah Statistics Publication is published.
It also receives questions and inquiries from clients about the publication and its results through various communication channels, such as:
•    GASTAT official website:   www.stats.gov.sa
•    GASTAT official e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Client support e-mail address:  info@stats.gov.sa
•    Official visits to GASTAT’s official head office in Riyadh or one of its branches in Saudi Arabia.
•    Official letters.
•    Statistical telephone: (199009).