A crucial step to raise service standards
In a significant regulatory move aimed at improving the quality of services provided to pilgrims, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the suspension of dealings with 1,800 foreign travel agencies specializing in Umrah services. This decision, which affects approximately one-third of the nearly 5,800 accredited foreign agencies, comes as a result of periodic evaluations that revealed shortcomings in performance and poor service quality for pilgrims.
The ministry clarified that this measure is a temporary suspension limited to preventing the issuance of new visas through these agencies, and granted them a 10-day grace period to rectify their situations and comply with the approved standards. This grace period aims to enable the agencies to address the recorded issues and improve their adherence to regulations that ensure a rich and convenient experience for pilgrims.
The general context within the Kingdom's Vision 2030
This decision falls within the broader framework of Saudi Arabia's efforts to achieve the goals of Vision 2030, specifically the "Guests of God Service Program." This program aims to bring about a qualitative leap in the Hajj and Umrah experience by streamlining procedures, developing infrastructure, and enhancing the efficiency of all personnel within the system. Regular monitoring of the performance of foreign travel agencies is an integral part of this strategy, ensuring that international partners adhere to the same high-quality standards that the Kingdom seeks to establish.
The importance of the decision and its expected impact
Domestically, this measure enhances the credibility of the regulatory framework for the Umrah sector and stimulates healthy competition among companies to provide the best services. Internationally, it sends a clear message that the Kingdom will not compromise on guaranteeing the rights of pilgrims and protecting them from any practices that could negatively impact their spiritual journey. In the long term, this measure is expected to lead to a more professional and reliable Umrah system, thereby increasing the confidence of Muslims worldwide in the services provided.
No impact on current pilgrims
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah reassured pilgrims who had already obtained their visas or had existing bookings through the suspended agencies. The Ministry confirmed that these pilgrims would not be affected by this measure and that the services provided to them would continue as planned without any changes. It emphasized that protecting the rights of pilgrims and ensuring the continuity of services for them is a top priority in all regulatory measures taken.
In this context, the official spokesperson for the Ministry, Dr. Ghassan Al-Nuaimi, stated that the Ministry will closely monitor the agencies’ commitment to rectifying their situations within the specified deadline, and will take all regulatory measures against any agency that does not comply with the requirements, stressing the continued application of monitoring and evaluation tools to ensure the highest quality standards in serving pilgrims.
