Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) has seen a huge increase in visitors recently. In the first half of 2023, over 3.3 million people visited the mosque, which is 127 percent more than last year.
As reported by Arabian Business, out of these visitors, there were 914,195 worshippers and 2,388,437 tourists. A remarkable 1,684,409 tourists specifically visited the mosque, while 704,028 explored the visitor center and market.
It is also important to mention the number of Israeli visitors. Nearly 54,000 Israelis visited SZGMC, surpassing the number of Pakistani visitors, which was approximately 47,500.
The SZGMC is famous worldwide as a stunning tourist attraction. People from all over the world visit because of its beautiful architecture and religious importance.
It is worth noting that 81 percent of the visitors were from outside the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The mosque offers more than just religious significance. It has amenities like a jogging track that over 32,000 people used in the first half of the year. The mosque’s library was visited by 1,104 people, and 757,026 vehicles brought visitors to the mosque.
The Grand Mosque has received recognition on a global scale. It was ranked first in the region and fourth in the “Top Attractions” category of TripAdvisor’s “Travelers’ Choice Awards for 2022: the Best of the Best Destinations” list.
In addition, it secured the ninth position worldwide in the “Top Cultural and Historical Tours” subcategory.
The mosque has also become an important destination for official delegations. In the first half of the year, 648 bookings were made, involving 10,979 individuals. These delegations included high-level officials such as heads of state, prime ministers, and parliament heads.
Cultural tours at the mosque play a vital role in promoting the message of tolerance based on the teachings of Islam. Experts conducted 2,637 cultural tours, attracting 37,402 visitors from around the world.
People from various countries visit the mosque. The top countries of origin for visitors are India, Russia, China, the United States (US), Germany, Italy, France, Israel, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom (UK).
Here is the table showing top 10 countries of origin for visitors:
Sr. Country Number of Visitors
1 India 393,566
2 Russia 130,023
3 China 99,277
4 US 92,364
5 Germany 76,857
6 Italy 61,330
7 France 53,996
8 Israel 53,974
9 Pakistan 47,640
10 UK 45,790
Source: Pro Pakistani