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Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of urban management on crowd movement and user experience during the Islamic pilgrimage of Hajj. It also examines the correlation between the management approach, event activities, and user interactions to explore the issues of crowd movement from multiple perspectives, including mobility, crowd behaviour, and user experience. This research aims to develop guidelines for a user-centric management strategy for crowd movements during mega-events by applying a holistic urban management approach that companies the multiple dimensions of managing the place, activities and users. Hajj is a unique event attended by millions of pilgrims driven by the spiritual need to fulfil their religious requirements. Nevertheless, Hajj is governed by numerous restrictions and rituals. Thus, this study uses a mixed-methods approach to examine the complex crowd movement during the annual pilgrimage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The current Hajj crowd management system takes a top-down approach, adhering to a strict crowd control and safety policy that generalises services and restricts movement patterns, placing the users’ needs and expectations as a secondary priority, negatively impacting crowd movement conditions. Hence, establishing a user-centric management approach will significantly improve the crowd movement conditions during Hajj. This paper attempts to identify the main touchpoints and factors that affect the participants’ collective experience and its impact on the management approach to draw a processual guideline for developing a management approach that satisfies the organisation and users’ goals and expectations.