The Religious Tourism Committee of the Chamber of Tourism Companies continued its meetings in preparation for the start of the new 1448 AH Hajj and Umrah season, with the Alexandria branch of the Chamber of Tourism Companies hosting a meeting attended by the heads and officials of more than 120 travel companies operating in the governorates of Alexandria, Beheira and Matrouh, to consult, hold a dialogue and listen to their views and proposals on all working mechanisms, especially in religious tourism.
The meeting was attended by Ahmed Ibrahim, Head of the Religious Tourism Committee; Walid Khalil, Vice Chairman of the committee and Head of the Committee for Combating Illegal Entities; and Yousry El Saudi, Head of the Dispute Resolution Committee, in the presence of the board of the Alexandria branch of the Chamber of Tourism Companies, chaired by Hossam El Helw.
The meeting, which lasted several hours, saw extensive discussions on everything related to the upcoming Umrah season, as well as Hajj trips, whose procedures for the new season began days ago. The meeting was marked by optimism about the ease of procedures during the new season and the issuance of the rules governing it, ensuring the rights of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims and supporting serious and committed companies, and a number of ideas and proposals for work during the new season were presented.
During the meeting, travel companies called for the value of the letter of guarantee for Umrah trips to remain unchanged in the new season, at the same level as last year. They also made several proposals to tackle attempts by some to travel for Umrah through irregular routes, and to enforce the law requiring travel for Umrah to be only through travel companies.
It was agreed that, if a Saudi agent is suspended, no other agent may take over or partner with the companies unless all the Egyptian companies linked to the new agent agree.
The companies called for the rules governing the Umrah season to be issued quickly so that they can prepare and announce their programs clearly, as well as for reviewing the mechanisms for organizing Umrah trips to curb the activity of brokers and any trading in visas and to encourage serious and committed companies. They presented several ideas for a mechanism to organize trips in line with Saudi regulations, to be implemented from the start of the season.
For his part, Mohamed Ezzat, Vice Chairman of the Alexandria Chamber of Tourism Companies, reviewed the ideas and proposals submitted by the companies on the Umrah rules expected to be issued in the coming days.
Ahmed Ibrahim, Head of the chamber's Religious Tourism Committee, stressed that all the ideas presented will be carefully studied and used when discussing the rules within the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
Meanwhile, the meeting stressed the need to tackle illegal entities operating Hajj and Umrah activities in violation of the law. Walid Khalil, Head of the Committee for Combating Illegal Entities, presented the committee's vision and an account of its efforts in coordination with the relevant authorities to detect violations and take the necessary legal action, affirming that work will continue to protect the market and safeguard the rights of Umrah and Hajj pilgrims.
Yousry El Saudi, Head of the Dispute Resolution Committee, also reviewed the activity of the committee, which reflects the chamber's keenness to resolve all outstanding problems between its members and strengthen cooperation in all tourism activities, especially Hajj and Umrah.
For their part, the travel companies praised the Religious Tourism Committee's direct communication with companies and its willingness to listen to their views and proposals, as well as its continuous efforts to develop the Hajj and Umrah system and strengthen the partnership between the committee and travel companies, serving the interests of the sector and raising the level of services offered to Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
