RIYADH: Products bearing the slogans “Made in Makkah” and “Made in Medina” will soon be launched for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia’s holy sites, the Kigdom’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources has revealed. During the Hajj Expo 2023 held in Jeddah on Jan. 9, Bandar Al-Khorayef said: “We will raise the quality of products made in Makkah and Madinah to be worthy of them.” He further added that the Ministry is working with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to prepare the launch of these products as part of the initial program “Made In Saudi”. The “Made in Saudi” program was launched in March 2021 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Al Khorayeg as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals. Running until Jan. 12, the Expo is set to see around 400 agreements aiming to build a thriving digital ecosystem that helps pilgrims have better experiences. Under the patronage of Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the event will host over 200 speakers and participants from around the world and have 10 keynote sessions, 13 panel discussions and Hajj talks, and 36 workshops. The conference will discuss and highlight a wide range of themes relevant to the development of services for guests, including logistics, transportation, and crowd management operations. There will also be a focus on housing and hospitality services, catering services, facility and service management, safety and healthcare, and enriching pilgrims’ experiences. On the sidelines of the opening ceremony, the participants watched a visual presentation highlighting the Kingdom"s efforts in serving the pilgrims, followed by the launch of the “Made in Makkah and Madinah” initiative by the Governors of Makkah and Madinah regions. The Kingdom is aiming to significantly increase the number of pilgrims in the upcoming years after witnessing a huge decline due to COVID-19. The “Made in Saudi” program is a National Industrial Development and Logistics Program initiative led by the Saudi Export Development Authority that aims to help local businesses grow, by encouraging local consumers to buy more locally made products, and helping businesses increase their exports to priority markets.