By Akram Medhat
A first drop of rain.. The Higher Committee for Hajj and Umrah has submitted a recommendation to Minister of Tourism Yehia Rashed to open authentication of Umrah contracts for Egyptian tourism companies wishing to organize this season's trip programmes with Saudi agents, from December 25 until next January 15. This came during its first meeting yesterday, Thursday, after it was reconstituted, to set the regulations and the start date for trips in the 1439 AH / 2018 Umrah season.
A responsible source at the Higher Hajj Committee told Travel Yalla News that the shortcomings of the last Umrah season, 1438 AH, were discussed, most importantly high prices and pressure on flights. A meeting is scheduled for next week, though its date has not yet been set, to examine the Umrah regulations and make any necessary amendments after contacts with the Saudi authorities and coordination with the relevant bodies to avoid any shortcomings or problems in the current season.
The source pointed out that authentication of contracts between the Egyptian company and the Saudi agent is not related to the details of the regulations, as it is a commercial contractual relationship between two parties that the Ministry of Tourism authenticates through the Chamber of Tourism Companies.
It is worth noting that the new formation of the Higher Committee for Hajj and Umrah is chaired by Mohamed Shaalan, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Tourism and head of the Companies Sector, with members Mohamed Bakr, director general of inspection at the ministry, and Sobhy Abdel Fattah, director general of tourist transport, representing the administrative authority.
The committee includes representatives of the Chamber of Tourism Companies, namely Hesham Amin, head of the Religious Tourism Committee, Walid Khalil, deputy head of the committee, and Ahmed Ibrahim, a board member of the chamber's caretaker committee.
The 1439 AH Umrah season has not yet opened in Egypt for citizens wishing to perform the rites, due to the delay by the administrative authority, represented by the Ministry of Tourism, in announcing the Umrah regulations that govern the season in terms of the start and end dates of trips and the binding instructions for both parties to the contract (the company and the pilgrim), and that set out several elements guaranteeing a high standard of programmes.
