Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdelfattah Mashat has stated {that a} outstanding improve has been witnessed within the capability of the holy mosques in Makkah and Madinah.

Dr. Abdelfattah Mashat made the remarks whereas chatting with Asharq al-Awsat. He added that there has additionally been a outstanding surge within the variety of Umrah Pilgrims coming from outdoors Saudi Arabia.

Dr. Mashat Stated that there was a noticeable improve within the variety of pilgrims from all nations, however the largest numbers got here from Pakistan, Indonesia, India, Iraq, Yemen and Bangladesh. “The approaching interval will witness a rise within the variety of pilgrims from numerous different nations of the world”, he stated.

His remarks got here after a month and a half from the beginning of the Umrah season at the start of the brand new Hijri 12 months, The inflow of pilgrims to the Grand Mosque and guests to the Prophet’s Mosque signifies that the present season will file a rise that may exceed the earlier seasons, particularly since Saudi Arabia’s authorities labored to facilitate Muslims from everywhere in the world to go to the 2 Holy Mosques.

Dr. Mashat identified that this improve in numbers and capability resulted from a number of elements, foremost of which is the Kingdom’s efforts to simplify visa procedures.

Among the many elements that contributed to this improve are the services offered by the Nusuk platform for individuals to have the ability to receive a visa and talk with service suppliers, in addition to the rise within the variety of corporations working in Umrah providers, and people specialised within the fields of hospitality that compete to supply one of the best providers with prime quality.

The brand new laws additionally had a task in enabling these coming from outdoors Saudi Arabia who maintain numerous varieties of visas to carry out Umrah, along with extending the validity interval of the Umrah visa to 90 days and canceling the requirement of mahram (blood relative) to accompany a lady pilgrim, Dr. Mashat stated.

The surge within the variety of Umrah pilgrims is attributed additionally to the ability permitting direct utility for the Umrah visa via the Nusuk platform, in addition to the choice to cut back the worth of medical insurance coverage with out compromising the standard of providers offered, and permitting visa holders to maneuver all through all areas of Saudi Arabia.

Talking of Nusuk, Dr. Mashat stated it’s the most outstanding platform in digital and technical transformations in serving the pilgrims, as it’s a complete portal via which the consumer can plan your entire Umrah journey.

One of many issues that contributed to making sure the standard of providers offered to pilgrims all through their journey is the institution of the Visitor Care Facilities (Enaya) by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, that are characterised by working across the clock to obtain complaints of Umrah performers in all languages, in addition to working to handle them within the shortest time frame.

Dr. Mashat stated that the ministry can be eager to observe the work of Umrah service suppliers via quite a few follow-up mechanisms, stressing that there’s a clear regulation on this regard to find out violations and penalties.

He expects the numbers to achieve 30 million Umrah pilgrims, particularly after the services offered to these wishing to go to the 2 Holy Mosques and carry out Umrah rituals, which included a number of initiatives, equivalent to extending the Umrah season, decreasing the interval for issuing a visa, facilitating procedures for coming to the Kingdom, growing the registration of important options service, along with importing journey paperwork earlier than arriving by way of the Saudi Visa Bio app.

Dr. Mashat stated that these are a few of the steps taken by Saudi Arabia to contribute to decreasing the time of verification procedures upon arrival for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, noting that the procedures have been applied thus far with the nations of UK, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Tunisia, and Kuwait.