Measures to prevent overcrowding in the camps and set catering and subsistence standards ahead of selecting suppliers
A delegation of the Chamber of Tourism Companies and the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah held several meetings in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to discuss preparations for the 1447 AH Hajj season, following the announcement of the results of the electronic lottery to select tourism pilgrims. This came on the sidelines of the delegation's participation in the "Hajj and Umrah Exhibition 2025," currently being held in the Saudi city of Jeddah.
Foremost among the important meetings held by the religious tourism delegation was one with Al Rajhi Hajj Services Company, which won the contract for tourism Hajj services this year at all its levels: "land, economy, five-star and the premium Kidana programs." These meetings are part of the early preparation efforts for Hajj procedures carried out by the chamber this season to ensure its success and remove all obstacles facing tourism companies in serving their pilgrims, and part of the chamber's endeavor to provide the best services to tourism companies' pilgrims in the new season.
Several meetings were held between the chamber's delegation and Al Rajhi officials, attended by Nasser Turky, Vice President of the Egyptian Tourism Federation and member of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah; Ahmed Ibrahim, head of the Religious Tourism Committee at the Chamber of Companies and member of the Supreme Committee; Yousry El-Saudi, head of the chamber's Dispute Settlement Committee and member of the Supreme Committee; Walid Khalil, Vice Chairman of the Religious Tourism Committee and member of the Supreme Committee; and Saher Selim, Director of the chamber's Religious Tourism Department.
On the Saudi side, participants included Eng. Bandar Al Rajhi, CEO of Al Rajhi Support Services Company; Eng. Abdulwahab Al Rajhi, Chairman of Al Rajhi Hajj Services; and Ahmed Samir, the company's Deputy CEO. A number of senior officials from all of Al Rajhi's departments also took part, led by Abdullah Sambawa, Head of Investment and Growth Projects at Al Rajhi, and Ibrahim Filali, the company's Chief Operating Officer.
During these meetings, it was agreed that systems and oversight mechanisms must be put in place to reduce overcrowding inside the camps, especially in Mina, and to ensure that no one other than accredited tourism pilgrims slips into the camps. The chamber requested a comprehensive list of all the mutawwifs who will serve tourism pilgrims, along with the CV of each, to verify their suitability for working in the tourism camps.
It was also agreed to set specific catering standards inside the camps of Mina and Arafat, on the basis of which the camps' service suppliers will be selected. Members of the religious tourism delegation praised the great cooperation of the Saudi hospitality company, its serious preparations for the season and its provision of all means to ensure the comfort of tourism pilgrims, and also praised the Saudi company's responsiveness to the chamber's requests.
For their part, officials of the Saudi company affirmed their keenness to make every effort to provide the best services to Egyptian pilgrims, and also affirmed their endeavor this year to improve the services provided to tourism pilgrims compared with all previous seasons and to implement all the clauses of the chamber's contract with Al Rajhi. It was agreed to continue communication and joint action to provide all means of comfort for tourism pilgrims and continuously improve the services provided to them.
