MAKKAH: The chairman of the board of directors of the Tawafa Establishment for Pilgrims From Turkey, Europe, America and Australia, Abdullah ibn Omar Alauddin, said the establishment operates on a model that is enhanced every year.
The organization takes into account the lessons learned from the previous pilgrimage seasons with a view to providing the best facilities that ensure the safety and comfort of the pilgrims. Every year the establishment upgrades the level of performance of all the departments.
“Our operations plan is aimed at deploying all resources for the welfare of the Guests of God and providing them with quality services,” he said, adding that the plan focuses on providing job opportunities for qualified Saudi employees.
Alauddin said this year’s plan includes a number of improvements aimed at providing pilgrims with the best of services that will enable them to perform Haj in ease and comfort.
“Under the guidance, directives and follow ups of the Haj minister, the establishment every year adds more services and resources to its various operation plans,” he said.
According to Alauddin, the accommodation and the service contracts department uses a state-of-the-art technology to carry out services provided to the pilgrims. “The contracts for accommodation and services are finalized electronically from anywhere in the world,” he said.
Alauddin said the establishment, which is a pioneer in the use of the most modern computer programs, is currently implementing the second phase of its technological operations plan.
He said the Haj minister has given his consent to the establishment to use the motto of the “intelligent establishment” in all its paper work and services in recognition of the great strides it has achieved in the domain of information technology.
The chairman said the field services groups have won ISO 2000-9001 certification and the organization has obtained the “Shield of Excellence in the Middle East” from the Auto Disk Company in Dubai for its use of the geographical data system during the pilgrimage season.
He said the establishment has a sold basic infrastructure of computer programs and equipment being used by Saudi professionals, who are highly qualified in the field of information technology.
“The people in charge of the establishment are keen to take it to a higher standard within the civilization project of the Minister of Pilgrimage (Haj Ministry) aimed at transferring the Tawafa establishments into civil society organizations which have global activities at the highest levels of quality,” he said.
According to Alauddin, 399 organizing companies in Europe, America and Australia have been rehabilitated following the policy of merging small companies into bigger entities.
He said Dar Al-Salam Tourist Company in New York, which was established by Haji Mustapha Mahmoud Ahmed in 1985, is one of the largest and most famous companies of its kind in America. It is also the sole agent of the Saudi Arabian Airlines Company (Saudia) in the US.
He said the company started its activities with organizing Haj trips for 50 pilgrims. Today they handle more than 2,500 pilgrims every Haj season. The famous personalities who performed pilgrimage through this company include: Muslim preachers Youssef Astis and Dr. Muhammad Salah, former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, famous surgeon Dr. Muhammad Chaudhary and top legal luminaries Sheikh Muzamil Siddqi and David Shaheen.
Alauddin said the number of the field service groups has increased to 59 this year and they have started work since the first day of Dhul Qa’ada (late October) and will continue their services to pilgrims until Muharram 15 (Jan. 12).
He explained that these groups are being supervised by three sectors:
l The first sector, chaired by Mutawif Tarik ibn Muhammad Anqawi, takes care of the affairs of the Turkish pilgrims.
l The second sector, under Mutawif Dr. Reza ibn Rashad Aijaimi, looks after the affairs of pilgrims from 47 countries from West Europe, America, Britain and Australia.
l The third sector, chaired by Mutawif Zuhair ibn Muhammad Shakir, looks after the affairs of pilgrims from 27 countries in Eastern Europe.
