JEDDAH, 7 February 2003 — As in all other sectors, mergers and new companies are replacing family-oriented Haj and Umrah businesses. For a very long time, certain families have assisted and guided pilgrims coming for either Haj or Umrah.

As the increasing number of pilgrims demands higher standards of service, family businesses are slowly giving way to better organized companies and agencies.

And the Ministry of Haj wants the Tawafa organizations (those which look after pilgrims) to become more service-oriented and to improve their performance.

“What we’re doing is to restructure organizations that provide field services to pilgrims,” Mohammed Al-Ghamdi, who runs a family business in Makkah, told Arab News. “And we’re doing it by providing the best possible training for our staff.”

Historically, families called themselves agents in receiving and transporting pilgrims and also looking after their welfare during the pilgrimage.

“Our business is traditional. It was started by my grandfather and was passed on to my father. The business became so big that I involved myself in it,” 27-year-old Al-Ghamdi added.

According to recent directives from the Haj Ministry, only registered agents can serve pilgrims.

The ministry has also ruled that Saudis and expatriates intending to perform Haj must do so through one of the domestic pilgrim agents.

“Nobody is allowed to perform Haj except through licensed agents,” said Al-Ghamdi, quoting the ministry’s strict guideline.

The ministry has issued its instructions in order to alleviate the problems of both Saudi and expatriate pilgrims. Many pilgrims complained in the past about substandard services offered by various Haj establishments.

The Ministry of Haj has also warned foreign diplomatic missions against providing Haj services to their nationals in the Kingdom.

Haj Minister Iyad Madani described this practice as illegal.

Shaji Nihal, manager of the Jeddah-based Alia Umrah Service, says that the new regulations represent an improvement.

“They enable the pilgrims to concentrate on religious duties instead of occupying themselves with matters such as accommodation and transportation.

“The new rules aim at ending difficulties and problems experienced by domestic pilgrims in the past. The private sector is now empowered to provide Haj services to satisfy the varying needs of pilgrims.”

Alalamiya, Labbaik, Al-Jeraisy and Gama are the four service providers officially nominated by the Ministry of Haj for issuance of visas to Umrah pilgrims.

All travel and tour operators in the Kingdom have to go through the four service providers for Umrah visas, according to Nihal.

According to available statistics, more than 800 Saudi establishments are licensed to serve domestic pilgrims, and 500 more are awaiting approval.

Dispelling fears that the number of establishments may cause the standard of service to deteriorate, the ministry has said that one way to tackle the problem is through a new system that allows for the merger of Haj establishments and turning them into larger companies.