MAKKAH — Hani Al-Amiri, vice president of the National Committee for the Hajj, Umrah and Visit Activities, said that more than 10 million Umrah pilgrims are expected in the coming Umrah season, which will start on Muharram 1, 1444, corresponding to July 30, 2022. He said that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the concerned Umrah service providing companies or establishments would follow up on the cases of pilgrims, and this is in coordination with the approved company to receive pilgrims and grouping them at airports and the approved company to follow up on cases of pilgrims inside the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. Al-Amiri revealed that a number of services for the pilgrims will be activated with the beginning of Umrah season on Muharram 1. These include activation of services of the Saudi companies and establishments licensed to provide services for Umrah pilgrims, as well as the services of their foreign agents in the respective countries where from the pilgrims coming, and the work of the virtual agent of Umrah services companies and establishments for all countries. He said that the work has been started for the B2B system for groups of foreign agents, and the B2C system for individuals, along with the operation of more than 500 Saudi companies and establishments that are licensed to provide services for Umrah pilgrims. These companies and establishments have hired qualified Saudi staff who have proved to be providing their distinguished and best ever services for the Umrah pilgrims and visitors in every season. Al-Amiri said that there are more than 2,000 qualified foreign agents from various countries of the world approved by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. There are 34 local and international electronic reservation platforms approved by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to display packages and programs for groups and individuals in B2B and B2C systems. The Umrah package purchase programs can be had through approved wallets accredited by the Gulf International Bank or through other payment methods such as Visa - MasterCard – Mada, and other approved electronic payment methods. There are more than 68 companies approved by the General Syndicate of Cars to provide the transportation service for Umrah pilgrims and visitors with the latest models of buses. There are also technical companies that supply ground services linked to the operator company of the Hajj and Umrah information center. There are also more than 1900 accommodation service providers of hotels and apartments, which are classified by the Ministry of Tourism and approved by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
