Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre receives over 3.3 million visitors in six months

The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) in Abu Dhabi received 3,334,757 visitors in the first half of 2023, a 127 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

The visitors comprised 914,195 worshippers, and some 2,388,437 tourists, of which 1,684,409 visited the mosque and 704,028 visitors to the mosque's visitor centre and market. Meanwhile, the mosque's jogging track accommodated 32,125 people during H1 2023.

Domestic visitors accounted for 19 per cent of the total, and international visitors for 81 per cent, reflecting the mosque's significant status as one of the world's top tourist attractions, as it draws millions of visitors annually.

The mosque's library welcomed 1,104 visitors, while the number of vehicles transporting visitors to the mosque totalled 757,026.

These figures further reinforce the mosque's global achievements, which was ranked first in the region and fourth in the "Top Attractions" subcategory of TripAdvisor's 'Travelers' Choice Awards for 2022: The Best of the Best Destinations' list. It also came in ninth globally in the awards' "Top Cultural & Historical Tours" subcategory category.

In the first half of this year, there were 648 official delegation bookings, comprising 10,979 individuals. The mosque welcomed 167 high-level delegations, including visits from 10 heads of state, three deputy heads of state, two prime ministers, six parliament heads, 36 ministers, four deputy ministers, and 19 ambassadors and consuls-general, as well as 87 visits from various official foreign delegations.

The mosque's cultural tours play a key role in promoting its message of tolerance, inspired by the true teachings of the Islamic religion. Cultural tour specialists at the mosque conducted 2,637 cultural tours, attracting 37,402 visitors from around the world.

The mosque also enhanced its cultural role by showcasing Islamic culture and introducing visitors to local cultural heritage, through a range of religious and cultural programmes presented in a unique and innovative manner. These programmes attracted more than 1,365 visitors during H1 2023, including the Jusoor programme, and several others.

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