Reintroducing Home-share Housing to Accommodate Umrah Performers in Makkah

Home-share housing was a popular alternative for housing pilgrims and Umrah performers in Makkah until about three decades ago. This research study aims to examine the feasibility of reactivating contemporary home-share housing to accommodate Umrah performers, as an alternative to achieve the objectives of the Saudi Vision 2030. Home-share housing has become part of a growing global movement in the field of hospitality industry, within the entrepreneurship based on the digital economy.To consider the possibility of activating home-share housing to accommodate Umrah performers, this study adopts the archival research approach )descriptive-historical(. The historical development of housing for pilgrims and Umrah performers in Makkah was reviewed, with an emphasis on the history of home-share housing and its characteristics, the reasons for its disappearance in Makkah were also clarified. Furthermore, the general concept of contemporary participatory housing, the factors contributing to its spread, and its pros and cons were discussed. The study concluded that contemporary home-share housing for Umrah performers will be appropriate for application within the percentage of permanent housing in the major housing projects, which are being implemented near Al-Haram. Contemporary home-share housing will contribute to the realization of several strategic pillars of the 'Guests of God' service program. It has been shown that home-share housing is a flexible housing alternative, which enriches the socio-cultural experience of both guests and hosts, enables local entrepreneurship programs, and contributes to the promotion of local economic growth. However, the study recommends the need to establish local criteria for this type of housing, before applying it to ensure quality.