RIYADH — The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah revealed that domestic pilgrims are entitled to get compensation in the event of the failure on the part of the Hajj service providing companies and establishments in providing proper accommodation in Makkah and the Holy Sites during the forthcoming Hajj of 2024. The ministry stated that the pilgrim will be compensated with 10 percent of the value of his package in the event of delay for more than two hours for getting accommodation after his arrival at the designated accommodation in Makkah and the Holy Sites. In such a scenario, the pilgrim can file complaint to the concerned authorities. The percentage of compensation will be increased to a maximum of 15 percent of the value of the package in the event of monitoring the repetition of the violation by the concerned authorities for a second time. In the event of failure in the provision of the service, housing will be provided under the supervision of the ministry and that is in coordination with the Coordination Council for Domestic Pilgrims Facilities at any cost and the cost will be borne by the concerned Hajj servicing providing firm. In the event of provision of an accommodation that is contrary to the provisions of the contract, the service provider shall rectify it within two hours and the pilgrim will be compensated on the basis of the delay in providing the service, and the compensation shall be amounted to five percent of the value of the package. The compensation also covers the delay in the provision of tent services at the Holy Sites. Every pilgrim, who lodged a complaint about waiting for more than two hours, will be compensated from the value of the package. In the event the pilgrim is not provided housing when he arrived at the tent facility, he will be compensated at a rate of two percent of the value of the package, which is not less than SR300. If the service provider failed to provide accommodation, the pilgrim will be provided with housing under the supervision of the ministry, and that is in coordination with the Coordinating Council for Domestic Pilgrims Facilities at any cost, and the Hajj service provider shall meet the expense for provision of the service. If the pilgrim is provided with accommodation that is contrary to the terms and conditions of the contract, he can lodge a complaint with the authorities. If the complaint was proven true, the pilgrim will be compensated at a rate of 10 percent of the value of the package, and that is not less than SR1,500. The ministry also stressed that the maximum time for rectifying these violations should not exceed two hours.
