Al Madinah Province

Al-Madinah contains Islam's second holiest city, the Prophet's Mosque drawing pilgrims whose religious obligation creates economic activity that secular tourism cannot replicate. The Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage system channels millions of Muslims annually through the province, the hospitality infrastructure serving visitors whose spending supports an economy organized around religious function.

The city of Medina's expansion accommodates pilgrimage growth while Vision 2030 investments develop the heritage tourism that complements religious visitation. The Prophet's Mosque's ongoing expansion—among the world's largest construction projects—demonstrates the scale of investment that religious significance justifies.

Yanbu on the Red Sea coast provides industrial diversification, the port and petrochemical facilities creating employment beyond pilgrimage services. The province's dual function—sacred center and industrial zone—creates economic diversity that pure pilgrimage destinations lack. Whether religious tourism's growth trajectory continues—and whether industrial development balances the province's religious identity—shapes Al-Madinah's distinctive position within the Saudi economy.