Ihraam is not required of one who enters Makkah unless he intends to do Hajj or ‘umrah

If someone goes to Makkah but does not intend to do Hajj or ‘umrah, such as a trader, seller of firewood, mailman and the like, he does not have to enter ihram unless he wants to do that, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said concerning the miqaats: “And these miqaats are for the people at those very places, and besides them for those who come through those places with the intention of performing Hajj and 'Umrah.” What may be understood from this is that whoever passes through the miqaats without intending to do Hajj or ‘umrah is not required to enter ihram.

This is by the mercy of Allah to His slaves and making things easy for them. To Him be praise and gratitude for that. This is supported by the fact that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Makkah at the time of the conquest, he did not enter ihram. Rather he entered the city with a mail hood [as worn under a helmet and the like] on his head, because at that time he had not come for Hajj or ‘umrah; rather he intended to conquer the city and remove whatever manifestations of shirk existed in it. End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (16/44-45).

Majmoo ‘ Fataawa Ibn Baaz (16/44-45)