Since the the question is in past i will answer what was the importance of Mecca in The Arabian peninsula
Gods and goddesses were worshipped at local shrines, such as the Kaaba in Mecca. ... Many of the physical descriptions of thepre-Islamic gods are traced to idols, especially near the Kaaba, which is believed to have contained up to 360 of them. Allah was the only god not represented by an idol.
Also, in the Islam religion, one of the five pillars (5 most important parts of being Muslim) is that you have to take a pilgrimage(religious trip) to Mecca at least once in your lifetime
