By Akram Medhat
The Higher Committee for Hajj and Umrah met after some tourism companies obtained electronic visas outside the Ministry of Tourism's system, and therefore decided to add a new clause to the regulations of the 1440 AH Umrah season, which have been in force since the season began last mid-November.
The new clause obliges tourism companies implementing 1440 AH Umrah programs to go to the Chamber of Tourism Companies to review their pilgrims' files and open the company's Saudi agent website to review the numbers actually carried out. The chamber's approval will then be sent to the Ministry of Tourism through the Hajj and Umrah services website, so that the company can obtain the public security list of pilgrims stamped with the seal of the Republic, to be handed over to the Ministry of Tourism committees at airports and seaports.
The committee also stated that the chamber will circulate the new rule to tourism companies and consider it one of the regulations governing the 1440 AH Umrah season, and in case of violation, legal action will be taken against the violators and all tourism companies connected to the violation.
The Higher Committee for Hajj and Umrah will deploy committees at air, sea and land ports to ensure that tourism companies comply with the regulations set by the Ministry of Tourism regarding the implementation of Umrah programs for the 1440 AH season, in accordance with the public security lists approved by the ministry, and to take legal action against violating companies.
In a related context, the Chamber of Travel and Tourism Companies and Agencies is sending an official letter to the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia, calling for no violation of the regulations governing the 1440 AH Umrah, particularly regarding compliance with the numerical ceiling allowed for Egyptian tourism companies.
It was also recommended to coordinate with the Ministry of Civil Aviation to oblige all airlines carrying Umrah pilgrims not to issue any travel tickets to any tourism company that has obtained electronic visas for pilgrims without following the regulations issued by the Ministry of Tourism, in order to prevent overcrowding at airports.
In addition, the Tourism Companies Sector at the Ministry of Tourism will write to all airlines carrying Umrah pilgrims, as well as the NAMA maritime navigation company, in this regard.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj's Undersecretary for Umrah Affairs will also be addressed regarding the need to oblige accredited Saudi agents to provide the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism with a daily statement of the entries and numbers of Umrah pilgrims actually served for each external agent (Egyptian tourism companies), through the official Hajj and Umrah services website or the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism's email.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj's Undersecretary for Umrah Affairs will also be notified to inform the Ministry of Tourism (Hajj and Umrah Affairs Sector) whether or not the Egyptian tourism companies listed in the statement attached to the letter have issued Umrah visas this 1440 AH season, since these companies are not authorized by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism to operate in the Umrah market this season in light of the penalties issued against them.
The Higher Committee for Hajj and Umrah stressed the need to take swift legal action against violating tourism companies during the current week.
This comes as part of the Ministry of Tourism's keenness to ensure the orderly conduct of the 1440 AH Umrah season, preserve the safety of Egyptian Umrah pilgrims until their return home, and ensure tourism companies' commitment to the programs agreed with pilgrims.
