MAKKAH: Experts expect that the number of Umrah companies in Saudi Arabia will increase from 48 to 700 to meet the Kingdom’s vision of increasing Umrah and Hajj pilgrims to 30 million by 2030.
Marwan Shaaban, the head of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, said that new Umrah companies could benefit from the experiences of old ones.
Shaaban said that “the profession of caring for Umrah and Hajj pilgrims is very difficult, although it may seem easy.”
“It is one of the best investments but it remains linked to economic, cultural, social, political and security issues,” he said.
Osama Filali, a member of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, said that there were 180 Umrah companies 18 years ago but the number had then reduced to 48 companies.
Filali said that “there were errors in the system in the past and some companies were suspended, which caused damage to the Umrah industry.”
However he said that the new Umrah program was 70 percent different from the previous one, since the program was previously dependent on the agent to buy hotel accommodation and contract transport.
“Last season, the number of Umrah pilgrims reached 1.6 million, and in the National Transformation Program (NTP) 2020 we must reach 15 million pilgrims and should reach 30 million pilgrims in 2030,” he said.
Filali said that there were particular specifications for the selection of foreign Umrah companies, including the choice of the right marketing, studying global markets and attending external exhibitions in a number of countries.
Hassan Qadi, deputy chairman of the National Committee for Umrah, said that there were currently 48 experienced companies.
“The number of Umrah companies is expected to rise to 700 after they have obtained preliminary approval and the necessary final licenses,” he said.
Qadi highlighted the importance of choosing the right external agent and being represented by an accredited and licensed tourist company that was registered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
“The agent should be contracted from the beginning of the season to avoid irregularities and its eligibility to work with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah should be verified.”
There should also be a bank guarantee of the agents in 200 countries in a unified contract by the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, he said.
Experts: 700 new companies needed to cover Umrah market
Experts: 700 new companies needed to cover Umrah market
Saudi Cabinet condemns ‘blatant’ Iranian aggression; affirms Kingdom’s right to respond to threats
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has warned it reserves the “full right” to respond to Iranian aggression following a series of “blatant and cowardly” strikes targeting the capital and the Eastern Province.
The warning came during a late-night Cabinet session on Tuesday, chaired by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman via videoconference, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
During the session, the Cabinet “reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s full solidarity with the brotherly countries whose territories were subjected to blatant Iranian aggression”, signaling a united front against regional threats.
The session followed a dramatic escalation of hostilities, including a direct drone attack on the US Embassy in Riyadh.
Major General Turki al-Malki, spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, confirmed that while air defenses intercepted multiple threats, the embassy compound sustained a “limited fire and minor material damage.”
General Al-Malki further announced that Saudi forces successfully intercepted and destroyed eight additional drones targeting the cities of Riyadh and Al-Kharj early Tuesday morning.
In a sharp rebuke of the embassy strike, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) cited a flagrant violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.
“The repetition of this flagrant Iranian behavior... will push the region toward further escalation,” the Ministry stated, underscoring that these provocations occurred despite Riyadh’s explicit policy of not allowing its airspace or territory to be used as a launchpad for strikes against Iran.
Global condemnation and solidarity
The Cabinet expressed deep appreciation for the wave of international support as world leaders condemned Tehran’s “indiscriminate” behavior.
In a joint show of force, the US and GCC member states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE) along with Jordan stood united, labeling the strikes a “dangerous escalation” and reaffirming a collective right to self-defense.
Leaders from the United Kingdom, France, and India. — including Prime Minister Narendra Modi — voiced strong solidarity with the Kingdom. The UK government confirmed its forces are engaged in “defensive actions” to maintain regional stability.
Amid the heightened military tension, the Cabinet reviewed the Kingdom’s hospitality efforts for GCC citizens currently stranded at Saudi airports due to regional airspace closures. The crown prince reaffirmed that the state would mobilize all capabilities to support brotherly nations in any measures they take to restore regional peace and stability.
