The Umrah season for the current year has begun with the arrival of at least 10,000 people in Makkah and Madina, intending to perform the minor pilgrimage, said Saad Al-Qurashi, vice chairman of the National Committee on Haj and Umrah at Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry. They arrived from Turkey, Algiers, Jordan, Egypt and South Africa, he said. Ten aircrafts carrying 2,000 Umrah pilgrims arrived from Asian and African countries at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Madina on Wednesday. In all, this month alone, 100,000 Umrah pilgrims are expected from Arab and Islamic countries, he said. Al-Qurashi rejected talk that there is a pilgrim-housing crisis in Makkah because buildings and hotels located on the northern side of the Holy Mosque were being demolished in preparation for expansion of the mosque. “The hotels located in Ajyad, Shuab Amer and Ibrahim Al-Khalil have adequate capacity to accommodate all Umra seekers,” he said. A recently introduced electronic visa system has made it easier for foreign pilgrims to visit. The 80 companies organizing Umrah trips are registering approximately 3,000 seekers from Arab and Islamic countries every day through the electronic Umrah system, Al-Qurashi said. He said no problems have been encountered so far in Umrah visas. The Saudi Ministry of Haj started receiving applications for Umrah and visitor visas from licensed Umrah companies and establishments following the opening of the “Al-Makhaa'” electronic application system. Once the applications are verified, the ministry sends them online to the Foreign Ministry which, in turn, authorizes Saudi embassies overseas to issue the visas. As a result of the swifter process, more than 4,000,000 Umrah seekers from abroad are expected this year – thanks also to extensive marketing campaigns being conducted by Umrah companies and their foreign affiliates. For many people in Arab and Islamic countries, the electronic visa system opens up the possibility of pilgrimage more than once each year. Added to this is the comparatively lower cost of Umrah than the Haj. Umrah programs do not last more than three days. During this time, pilgrims perform Umrah, visit Prophet's Mosque in Madina and return to Makkah. Hotel and residential-unit operators in central Makkah rely heavily on Umra seekers and visitors to boost occupancy rates and increase income. The Ministry of Haj has identified reliable Umrah companies and establishments capable of providing quality service, The ministry has introduced several mechanisms to overcome last season's shortcomings. The Ministry conducts an annual assessment of the performance of all Umrah companies and establishments and takes note of all shortcomings to be remedied. __
