Ahmed Ibrahim: This season's rules are the best in 15 years and balance pilgrims' rights with the interests of serious companies
Yousry El Saudi: Continued development and digitization, and the start of public awareness on using "Rafiq"
Walid Khalil: New measures to tackle illegal entities, and notifying the ministry of ads before publication is mandatory
Ahmed Ibrahim, Head of the Religious Tourism Committee at the Chamber of Tourism Companies and a member of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, announced the departure of the first Umrah trips of the new 1448 AH season at dawn on Tuesday, days after the Minister of Tourism and Antiquities approved the rules governing the new season. The chamber has begun authenticating the Saudi agency contracts of companies organizing Umrah trips, with contracts approved for around 550 travel companies to organize Umrah trips during the new season.
Ibrahim said the rules for the new season aim to strike a balance between protecting pilgrims' rights and safeguarding the interests of serious and committed travel companies. He commended Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Sherif Fathy's keenness to support companies and facilitate their mission of serving pilgrims, praised the speedy issuance of the rules for the 1448 AH Umrah season and the rules and regulations they contain to develop religious tourism and raise the level of services offered to pilgrims, as well as the major role played by Samia Samy, Assistant Minister for Company Affairs and Head of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, in supporting travel companies, and the cooperation of all members of the ministry's companies sector to make the season a success.
The committee head said the rapid issuance of the rules gave travel companies enough time to prepare for the new season and draw up operating plans in line with the governing rules. This came during a press conference organized by the chamber's Religious Tourism Committee, attended by Walid Khalil, a board member and Vice Chairman of the Religious Tourism Committee, and Yousry El Saudi, a board member and Head of the Dispute Resolution Committee, at which the main features of the new Umrah rules and the digital transformation system represented by the "Rafiq" app were presented, and the results of the last Hajj season and plans to develop services in the coming period were discussed.
Ahmed Ibrahim said the committee is keen to maintain communication with the media through regular meetings to explain all developments on Hajj and Umrah, stressing that these meetings will not be limited to announcing new decisions but will also cover all issues of concern to companies and pilgrims.
Ibrahim stressed that the media is a key partner in the success of the religious tourism system, by conveying accurate information to the public and correcting any inaccurate perceptions, helping to achieve the goals of the new system.
He explained that the 1448 AH Umrah rules were prepared after a series of meetings and field visits with travel companies in a number of governorates, to hear their proposals and learn about the main challenges they faced last season.
He added that these meetings helped prepare more realistic rules that address many shortcomings, noting that the new rules have been widely accepted by the chamber's General Assembly, although no system can win complete unanimity.
He stressed that the main goal of the rules is to strike a balance between protecting pilgrims' rights and ensuring that committed companies can provide outstanding services, stressing that pilgrims' interests are at the top of the new rules' priorities, by ensuring they receive the agreed service and raising the level of monitoring and oversight of program implementation.
He noted that regulating trips and linking them to the return of certain percentages of pilgrims aims to improve service quality and give companies the ability to follow up on their programs more efficiently, especially as economy Umrah programs make up the largest share of trips.
He explained that the new rules include a number of organizational measures, including not approving new trips until 70% of the pilgrims in the Kingdom have returned, as well as regulating work during the months of Rajab, Sha'ban and Ramadan so that no new trips are carried out before previous trips return, with a maximum of three trips per company in Saudi Arabia at the same time.
The "Rafiq" app
The head of the chamber's Religious Tourism Committee said the "Rafiq" app represents a qualitative leap in the religious tourism system, allowing pilgrims to follow all the details of their trip, from program details, accommodation and supervisor to rating the level of services provided.
Ibrahim added that the app will be linked to the e-portal, allowing companies' performance to be monitored continuously, noting that any digital system needs time to develop and gain wider use, as happened with e-service apps in Saudi Arabia such as "Nusuk."
He noted that digital transformation has become a necessity in all services, and that some procedures previously handled by companies now require direct participation by pilgrims through electronic apps, which calls for more awareness campaigns in the coming period.
Ahmed Ibrahim stressed that the new Umrah rules are among the best prepared in around 15 years, as they achieve several goals, led by protecting pilgrims, supporting committed companies and strengthening the state's ability to monitor service levels electronically.
Development and digitization
In a related context, Yousry El Saudi, Head of the Dispute Resolution Committee at the Chamber of Tourism Companies, said the media is a key partner in the success of the new Umrah system, by conveying accurate information to citizens and explaining the new procedures and rules.
El Saudi explained that the coming phase will see greater reliance on digital tools, which requires spreading awareness of how to use the "Rafiq" app and its associated electronic services.
He noted that any new system needs time for citizens to get used to it, citing the experience of the "Nusuk" app, which over time has become an essential part of the Hajj and Umrah journey.
He added that travel companies will continue to support pilgrims during the transitional phase, stressing that the app's success depends not only on the technical side but also on citizens' ability to use it and obtain accurate information about how to do so.
Measures to tackle illegal entities
Walid Khalil, Vice Chairman of the Religious Tourism Committee and Head of the Committee for Combating Illegal Entities at the Chamber of Tourism Companies, said the new Umrah rules include important measures to tackle misleading advertisements and illegal entities organizing Umrah trips in violation of the law.
He stressed that companies are now required to notify the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities of any advertisement for Umrah programs before publishing it in the media or on social media platforms, to tighten oversight and ensure compliance with the governing rules. He noted that notification does not mean obtaining prior approval for the advertisement, but aims to monitor advertising content and detect any violations before they occur.
Khalil revealed the formation of a committee to monitor the Umrah market, responsible for detecting violating advertisements, attempts at price dumping and illegal marketing of programs, as well as monitoring some pages and bloggers promoting Umrah programs in violation of the law. He stressed that the goal of these measures is to protect citizens and curb the activity of illegal entities, while ensuring travel companies comply with the governing rules.
He explained that advertisements must include clear details, including the company's name, license number, means of travel and program price, and all the details that help citizens make the right decision.
