MAKKAH: The Ministry of Haj has warned Haj and Umrah companies from providing pilgrims with accommodation at hotels not registered with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). The ministry said it would mete out “the severest punishments” for violations of regulations that “seek to ensure visitors' safety and security during their stay at hotels”, and warned firms they would be questioned if they had dealings with unregistered hotels. The warning follows a series of incidents at hotels, including the case of an Algerian girl who died in a fall from an upper floor where she was staying with her family for Umrah. It transpired that the hotel had not been registered with the SCTA and that a man involved in the circumstances surrounding her fall was an illegal worker. Saad Al-Qurashi, Chairman of the National Committee for Haj and Umrah, said the ministry had 500 SCTA-classified hotels in its Umrah season program, which enables companies to identify classified hotels and provide visitors with accommodation accordingly. “The regulation is in the interest of companies that seek to improve services to visitors, because these classified hotels are equipped to provide proper services and are accountable should they fail,” Al-Qurashi said. “They are supervised and monitored by the SCTA which took into account the nature of Makkah and Madina when it set the classification conditions.” The number of Umrah firms operating this year has increased to 51, meanwhile, a rise of 13 on last year. The figure is expected to go up to 60 by the end of next month.
