Preparing for an early start to the 1448 AH Hajj season and presenting ideas to build on the positives and address issues
In preparation for the new 1448 AH Umrah season, the Religious Tourism Committee of the Chamber of Tourism Companies is starting a series of meetings with companies organizing Hajj and Umrah trips, aimed at reviewing the main positives of the past Hajj season and ways to maximize them, as well as addressing any issues that occurred and how to avoid them in the new season, and allowing fruitful discussions to ensure every means of comfort and safety for the Guests of God among travel companies' customers.
The first meetings are set to start this week, with the Religious Tourism Committee calling meetings at the chamber's headquarters over several days. The committee, headed by Ahmed Ibrahim, will then move to the governorates to hold intensive meetings with travel companies at the branch chambers across the country.
The committee will compile the main ideas and proposals from these meetings for discussion within the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, chaired by Samia Samy, Assistant Minister for Company Affairs, leading to the setting of the rules governing Umrah and Hajj trips for the 1448 AH season.
The meetings are expected to discuss the main positives of the past season in order to maximize them, especially in land and economy Hajj programs, as well as some issues that occurred, to examine ways to avoid them in the coming years.
The Religious Tourism Committee will also present its vision for the coming Hajj season during these meetings, especially in light of Saudi decisions and procedures that include starting the season, with all its procedures, earlier than every year.
The meetings will discuss the main features of the new Umrah season, especially in terms of timing, the various ideas on setting the start date of the new Umrah season and the rules governing the season in all their details, so that the rules keep pace with the Saudi regulations, decisions and procedures governing Umrah trips and guarantee pilgrims' rights and interests.
Meanwhile, at the request of a group of travel companies, the Religious Tourism Committee held a meeting attended by representatives of those companies, who came mandated by around 150 other travel companies that had met last week to celebrate the success of the Hajj season and prepare for the new season.
