JEDDAH, 29 May — More than one month after its enforcement, the new Umrah system which allows pilgrims longer periods of stay and greater freedom of movement inside the Kingdom is yet to deliver in terms of anticipated visitor volume, tour operators and officials say.
Contacted by Arab News, officials at foreign Haj missions stationed in Jeddah and Makkah attributed the slow response to procedural complications saying Haj officials and tour operators back home needed more time to adjust.
In April last year Saudi Arabia issued new Umrah service regulations with the aim of streamlining the pilgrims traffic and ending the problem of overstaying by some pilgrims. Services are to be provided by Saudi companies licensed by the Haj Ministry. Pilgrims visiting the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah must produce a bank draft approved by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency and possess a return ticket. Local agents will receive the pilgrims on arrival, arrange for their transportation and accommodation, and will ensure that they returned before their visas expired.
Turkish and Iranian Haj officials said more time is needed for tour operators in their countries to fully acquaint themselves with the new system. Until now very few Umrah pilgrims have arrived from either country. “More time is needed to coordinate efforts in this regard. Until now no visitors have come under the system but we expect traffic to pick up over the coming weeks,” said an official at the Iranian Haj and Visit Organization in Makkah.
The current month of Rabi-ul-Awwal is a high season for pilgrims. Last year some 245,000 Iranians came for Umrah including 100,000 who attended the Madinah Festival. A greater number is expected this year with the new system being applied in earnest.
Turkish Haj officials said the few pilgrims who arrived so far did so on individual basis and not through the government agencies. More pilgrims could be expected after the full enforcement of the system, they said.
Sudanese Haj and Umrah officials said the authorities selected more than 10 Saudi companies to act as local agents for their pilgrims who are yet to begin their trips.
The Ministry of Haj expects the new system to attract more than one million visitors during the first year. Economists predict the figure could eventually reach 10 million in a few years generating up to SR10 billion in revenues annually.
The stumbling block for Egyptian tour operators seems to be a clause asking foreign agents to provide an SR100,000 bank guarantee to the Saudi authorities. The money is intended to ensure full compliance with the Kingdom’s requirements.
Umrah visits from Egypt were brought to a halt after tour operators said they would not send pilgrims unless a satisfactory solution was reached. They described the new system, especially the provision for bank guarantee, as a disaster as it burdens them with additional costs. Some agents have even called for a return to the old system.
Saudi Ambassador to Cairo Ibrahim Al-Saad Al-Ibrahim defended the new rules and criticized Egyptian tour operators for triggering a controversy. The new regulations were meant for pilgrims from all countries and it is premature to judge the system before it was enforced and its pros and cons carefully weighed, Al-Watan newspaper quoted Al-Ibrahim as saying.
The ambassador said the new system was intended to stem the black market in Umrah services and put an end to overstaying, squatting, beggary and other negative phenomena associated with the pilgrimage.
Meanwhile, Methaq Company, a Riyadh-based insurance firm, said it has developed an insurance program for pilgrims and visitors during their stay in the Kingdom.
The move, according to Muhammad Al-Zeer, the company’s public relations director, was dictated by the growing increase in the number of pilgrims that brought with it problems of human interest such as illness, injury from accidents, loss of luggage and money and other valuables.
“We designed a comprehensive travel insurance plan to cover personal accidents in respect of death or disability, medical and other related expenses, loss of baggage and money resulting from theft, loss of deposits on cancellation of the proposed visit due to an emergency, loss incurred by the delay or cancellation of flights or other unforeseen problems in the pilgrim’s home country at the time of departure or homeward journey,” Muhammad said.
Methaq will reimburse all expenses to the visitor up to the limits under the policy in respect of the loss incurred. The cover provided applies to persons over five years and under seventy years of age.
