Head of the tourism Hajj mission: We moved immediately to solve the problem, and their visas are from outside the ministry's quota
By Akram Medhat
The tourism Hajj mission intervened to resolve the crisis of pilgrims affiliated with the House of Representatives, who faced problems with their accommodation in Mecca, after the ministry's mission received a complaint on Friday, August 25, from MP Hassan Sayed Khalil and other members of the House of Representatives against a tourism company, stating that they had suffered from poor accommodation and poor organization and that the company had breached what had been agreed with them.
Mohamed Shaalan, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism and head of the mission, said that immediately upon receiving the complaint, a committee from the mission was sent to the hotel where the pilgrims are staying, and it was found that their visas were from outside the Ministry of Tourism's quota and therefore not subject to the ministry's supervision or inspection. Despite this, the mission intervened, and the company owner was summoned, questioned and obliged to improve the service and implement the program as agreed with the pilgrims. He stressed that the ministry will take all legal measures against the company.
Shaalan added that a committee of members of the ministry's mission and the Chamber of Tourism Companies was formed to communicate with the pilgrims, and the committee went to their place of residence to help solve the problems they faced. He noted that an incident report was drawn up and the accommodation provided by the company for the pilgrims was inspected, with one of the buildings rejected as unfit. The company's representative was also firmly instructed to provide suitable accommodation for them, follow up on their conditions around the clock and solve all their problems. The representative also pledged before the committee to provide air-conditioned vehicles to facilitate their transport to and from the Grand Mosque, and this is being followed up.
For her part, MP Mai Mahmoud said that as soon as the problem occurred she contacted the Ministry of Tourism's mission, which made great efforts and intervened to help solve the problem with regard to both accommodation and the rituals, stressing that she does not hold the ministry responsible, as she knows their visas are not under the supervision of the Ministry of Tourism.
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