New umrah requirements in Malaysia

Malaysia's Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein has announced new procedures for umrah after from the latest COVID-19 Ministerial Quartet meeting.

Travel for umrah has reopened as of February 8. From February 14, pilgrims must have taken a vaccination booster dose, with compliance to be monitored by travel agents.

As of February 14, returning pilgrims may fulfil their mandatory quarantine at their homes, without home quarantine applicationrequiring an approved official home quarantine application (HQA). Quarantine at a private quarantine station is allowed, but would be at the pilgrim's own cost.

Malaysia pauses umrah

Malaysia will pause umrah travels for pilgrims from January 8, 2022 as the number of COVID cases, especially from the Omicron variant, originating from returning pilgrims is growing. The move is expected to help reduce the risk of Omicron transmission in the country, slow the rise of COVID-19 cases, and provide time for the government to plan for the next phase of umrah activities.

According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), the last two weeks of 2021 saw the highest number of COVID-positive cases from travellers arriving from KSA - 1,161 cases compared to Singapore (13 cases), Indonesia (8 cases) and the UK (49 cases). 

Umrah travels began in Malaysia on October 13, 2021. As of 30 December 2021, 11,108 umrah pilgrims have returned to Malaysia, with 1,306 (11.76%) testing positive for COVID-19. Of these, 592 tested positive on the day of arrival while a further 714 tested positive on a second test conducted on the 5th day of quarantine. 

In cases where umrah pilgrims have applied to undergo quarantine at home on their return, MOH noted that some non-compliance of standard operating procedures (SOPs) has occurred. This has exposed family members of the same household as well as visitors to COVID-19. 

In conjunction with the pause on umrah, booking new umrah flight tickets have been suspended, and quarantine for returning umrah pilgrims will now occur at quarantine stations approved by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) from 3 January 2022. 

Pilgrims planning to travel to KSA from 1 to January 7, 2022, will be allowed to depart, but have to undergo quarantine at NADMA-approved quarantine stations when they return. Umrah pilgrims returning to Malaysia must: 

i) Perform a COVID-19 RT-PCR detection test for two days before their departure date. 

ii) Perform a RT-PCR test on the day of arrival;

iii) Undergo surveillance and observation orders for seven days at a quarantine station; 

iv) If symptomatic, they must perform a COVID-19 detection test using a RTK Ag self -test; 

v) Perform a RT-PCR test on the 5th day. 

Umrah pilgrims will be released from the quarantine order on the 8th day, if the RT-PCR test results on the 5th day is negative for COVID-19 and no other reasons arise for extending the quarantine.

MyHotels receives official approval as an umrah travel agency

Saudi online travel agency MyHotels has received final approval from the KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to serve as an official umrah travel agency.

MyHotels provides services such as accommodations; transportation; custom tours as well as umrah services.

Emad Alabbas, CEO, said that the company is investing in developing the infrastructure of the MyHotels to deliver speed while expanding partnerships with umrah hotels and transportation providers to offer discounts directly to partners via the MyHotels platform.

"This will (allow) our partners to avoid the stress of commissions targets and incentives policies, letting our partners focusing on their core business," he said.

MyHotels' umrah packages include:

B2C Umrah

Issues an immediate electronic umrah e-visa for individuals

Includes hotels in Makkah City and/or Madinah City

Includes transportation and ground services

Includes medical insurance from Saudi umrah operators.

B2B Umrah

Provides umrah booking services to Saudi umrah operators and their external agents by enabling them to book Makkah and Madinah hotels/accommodations, transportation/transfers

Generates an instant BRN ID so they can issue umrah visas for groups via access with the KSA Umrah Systems Services Center (MUKHA).

MyHotels was founded in KSA in 2016, and headquartered in Makkah.

Umrah begins again

The Grand Mosque in Makkah, KSA will receive the first umrah pilgrims after closing umrahs due to COVID-19, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) as reported. The KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has also launched the Eatmarna (اعتمرنا) app for prospective pilgrims.

According to the SPA, sites in Ajyad, Al-Shisha, Al-Gaza, and Al-Zahir plus health facilities have been prepared for the pilgrims, after which they will be transported to the Grand Mosque by bus.

Some 1,000 staff have been recruited to facilitate umrahs, SPA said citing the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque. The Presidency cleans the Grand Mosque 10 times a day before and after the umrah groups, sanitising toilets six times a day. The carpets in the carpets of the Grand Mosque, basins at the Zamzam water fountains, and all vehicles are also sterilised regularly. Thermal cameras have also been installed at both holy sites to screen pilgrims.

The SPA also reported that the KSA Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Ministry's Work on Hajj and Umrah, Sheikh Dr Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al Al-Sheikh, has directed the launch of an automatic phone-based service to answer questions about umrahs. The toll-free hotline is at 800 245 1000 and operates 24x7 in eight languages, including in Arabic, English, Turkish, Hindi, Urdu, Bahasa Indonesia, and Bengali.

Eatmarna enables users to request permits to enter the two holy mosques to perform umrah, visit and offer prayers in accordance with a pre-approved quota. It is integrated with the Tawakolna app, which verifies the health status of the applicant.

Details:

Download the app.

Muis issues statement on KSA move to suspend umrahs

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has advised the Association of the Muslim Travel Agents of Singapore (AMTAS) to ensure that all Singaporeans who are making arrangements to perform umrah are aware that KSA has temporarily suspended the entry of umrah pilgrims as well as tourists from Singapore.

"All prospective pilgrims who had already made arrangements to perform umrah during this period are advised to consult their travel agents for the necessary adjustments and remedies where possible. Based on data shared by travel agents under AMTAS, Muis understands that more than 2,000 people have signed up to perform umrah in March 2020," the organisation said in a statement.

"Muis will continue to work with AMTAS and the Saudi Embassy to closely monitor the developments on the impact of COVID-19 on our umrah pilgrims and will provide further advice and assistance to AMTAS, travel agents who provide umrah services as well as our umrah pilgrims over the coming months."

Umrahs, Prophet's Mosque visits halted due to COVID

The KSA Ministry of Foreign Affairs has instituted temporary, precautionary measures affecting travel to and from the kingdom as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.

Among the measures are suspension of visits for umrah and/or visiting the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah.

In addition, entry to KSA with a tourist visa from countries with confirmed COVID-19 outbreaks is temporarily suspended.

The use of national identity cards in place of passports for travel to and from KSA is also suspended. Exceptions are made for Saudi nationals who left KSA using their national identity cards, as well as GCC citizens wishing to depart KSA after entering with their national identity cards. However, the authorities will apply health procedures depending on which countries an individual previously visited.

The measures are subject to change.

KSA updates on number of umrah pilgrims since the beginning of 1440

The KSA Directorate General of Passports said that the number of umrah pilgrims who had arrived in KSA through international ports (by air, land and sea) from the beginning of umrah season on 1 Muharram, the first day of the Hijri (Islamic) year 1440, till noon on the eighth day of the second month, Safar, reached 5,144,431, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has reported.

Of these, 4,652,153 be already left the country. The KSA General Directorate of Passports has worked to improve the level of services being provided to umrah pilgrims and speed up passport procedures for them.

The SPA also shared that the supervisory committee of the Makkah Road Initiative has been following up on implementation of the initiative at accredited airports in Malaysia and Indonesia.The initiative accelerates immigration procedures for Hajj pilgrims at departure airports to ease logistics on arrival in KSA.

Discussions are under way to discuss the possibility of implementing it for Hajj 2019 in more countries, including Pakistan, Bangladesh, India and Tunisia.

In Malaysia the committee met with  Malaysian Deputy Director General of Immigration Affairs Mohammed bin Wan Yousef and inspected arrangements for implementing the initiative for Malaysian pilgrims in 2019. It also saw how the process works at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Meanwhile, Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr Mohammed Saleh bin Taher Benten received the Turkish Minister of Religious Affairs Dr Ali Arbash and his delegation as part of on-going meetings about Hajj 2019, the SPA said.
They discussed issues related to the coming Hajj and umrah and also reviewed the ministry's services accorded to Hajj and umrah pilgrims.

The Turkish minister expressed appreciation of the Saudi government, under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the HRH Crown Prince, for the efforts exerted to meet the needs of all pilgrims from all over the world.

Agoda, KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umrah MoU to benefit pilgrims

Source: PRNewsfoto/Agoda. Agoda and Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah sign MoU to achieve Vision 2030 goal of 30 million pilgrims. The agreement was signed on 3 December, 2018 by HE Dr. Mohammad Saleh bin Taher Benten, the KSA minister of Hajj and Umrah (right) in the presence of Damien Pfirsch, VP Strategic Partnerships & Programs Agoda.

Agoda, the online travel agents (OTA), and the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in KSA have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) supporting the KSA Vision 2030 goal to increase its capacity to over 30 million pilgrims by utilising Agoda's technology and travel expertise, marketing platform capabilities, intelligence tools and resources.


There is now a dedicated Agoda portal to access selected hotels that have been certified by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for umrah visitors and pilgrim bookings. Pilgrims can easily find an array of accommodation options and securely book through the multilingual and multicurrency portal.

Under the MoU, the first to be signed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah with a global OTA, the parties will explore how together they will redefine the future of travel for pilgrims from across the world to the kingdom, working in collaboration to help to build future services including guest flow and booking accommodation.

The MoU will leverage the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah's knowledge and understanding of the needs of pilgrims to the holy cities and Agoda's technology expertise, to enable the partners to explore ways to use technology to manage the anticipated increase in guests to KSA and make accommodation reservations more accessible, easier, faster and secure.

John Brown, CEO, Agoda, said: "With Agoda's expertise in accommodation and travel services, global distribution services, e-marketing and digital branding we want to be a key partner helping them to achieve their goals of accommodating 30 million umrah and Hajj guests to the kingdom."

According to Vision 2030, which was announced in 2016, the last decade has seen the number of umrah visitors and pilgrims entering the country from abroad treble. Pilgrimages play a significant role in KSA's tourism industry, with the government aiming to grow this sector to 15 million Hajj and umrah visitors annually by 2020, and 30 million by 2030.

Headquartered in Singapore, Agoda is part of Booking Holdings and employs more than 3,700 staff across 53 cities in more than 30 countries. Agoda.com and the Agoda mobile app are available in 38 languages.

KSA warns Pakistan about umrah overstayers

The General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), KSA, has informed the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Pakistan that umrah pilgrims have deliberately overstayed their visas and are looking for jobs in KSA.

Umrah pilgrims caught defaulting on their visas are liable to a fine of SR50,000, and a prison term of six months, after which the overstayer will be deported. If the individual cannot pay the fine, an additional prison term will be imposed.

Tour operators are responsible for umrah pilgrims who go missing. Their licences will be cancelled, with penalties, should umrah pilgrims not return as scheduled.

Emirates boosts flights to Jeddah for umrah season

Source: Emirates. A Boeing 777-300ER plane.

Emirates will be boosting its flights to Jeddah during the umrah season. The airline will operate 24 extra flights, adding more than 10,000 additional seats between Dubai, UAE and Jeddah, KSA from 12 June to 24 June. The additional flights will be serviced by the Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates’ additional flights will help accommodate more convenient travel through Dubai during the umrah season, which starts in Ramadhan and concludes in July for 2018. These services will run in parallel with Emirates’ regularly scheduled services to Jeddah, which includes three daily flights. The additional services can be accessed by travellers holding a valid umrah visa.

Adil Al Ghaith, Senior VP, Commercial Operations for Gulf, Middle East and Iran said: “Performing umrah during the month of Ramadhan is a significant experience for Muslims and Emirates is helping to make the journey more seamless through convenient connections for the thousands of pilgrims looking to travel during this time. We thank the Saudi Arabian government and authorities for their support to introduce these extra frequencies during umrah season.”

Onboard, Emirates’ ice entertainment system features special religious programming as well as popular regional entertainment options including new drama series. The airline’s diverse content available on board with up to 3,500 channels of entertainment includes 238 Arabic channels featuring movies, TV, music and audio.

This year, top Asian destinations where Emirates is expecting umrah travellers to come from include Pakistan.

Malaysia prepares to conduct pre-clearance for Hajj pilgrims in 2018

Malaysia Airports Holdings will support the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) following the announcement made on the pre-clearance of Hajj pilgrims at KL International Airport (KLIA). The initiative will benefit 36,480 Hajj pilgrims for 2018.

Malaysia Airports MD Datuk Badlisham Ghazali said, "We welcome the implementation of this systematic and rapid management system. Hajj season is one of the busiest seasons in the airport. Not only are airport management facilities taken into consideration, passenger management is also preferred. As an airport operator, we are also happy that Malaysia was chosen as the first country in the world to use the pre-clearance Hajj system as announced."

According to Badlisham, the initiative will position KLIA as a regional hub that will provide new experiences to consumers, especially aged pilgrims.

A long-haul parking area as well as free shuttle bus service are some of the preparations that Malaysia Airports is making ahead of Hajj 2018.

The proof of concept (PoC) for pre-clearance of Hajj pilgrims at the point of departure was conducted in August 2017. The initiative facilitates the arrivals of pilgrims into KSA. eliminating long queues for immigration when they reach KSA. The PoC proved that conducting pre-clearance at the point of departure would significantly shorten the immigration process in KSA and increase KLIA’s attractiveness as a key gateway in the region for pilgrims going to KSA.

PIF starts new infrastructure development in Makkah, Madinah

The KSA-based Public Investment Fund (PIF), one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world, has announced the establishment of two companies, Rou'a Al Madinah and Rou'a Al Haram. The moves are in line with KSA's Vision 2030, which aims to provide an opportunity for the largest possible number of Muslims to perform Hajj and umrah, and to enrich their experience through the development of the two major mosques in Islam, Al-Masjid al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque) in Makkah and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque) in Madinah respectively.

Source: PIF. Location of development.

Rou'a Al Haram will act as a catalyst for developing the areas around the holy sites and raising the quality of services in the local hospitality sector in response to an anticipated 30 million visitors to Makkah by 2030.
The first phase of the company's projects will cover an area of 854,000 sq m, delivering 115 buildings and 70,000 new hotel rooms that will enable the site to receive 310,000 visitors per day. In addition, the first phase will see the development of around 9,000 residential units, 360,000 sq m of commercial space and prayer areas designated for more than 400,000 worshippers. The project will take place 1,430m from the Ka'abah.

Initial preparation works are currently underway, with construction due to start in 2018. The first phase of the project is anticipated to launch in 2024.

Rou'a Al Haram projects will create around 160,000 job opportunities by 2030, with an estimated annual contribution to GDP of SAR8 billion.

Rou'a Al Madinah will deliver projects designed to increase capacity for pilgrims and visitors to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the Prophet's Mosque), whilst also enriching spiritual and cultural experiences across Madinah.

Preliminary estimates indicate that the total number of annual visitors to Madinah will increase to 23 million by 2030. The company aims to develop a 1.3 million sq m site 1 km away from the east wing of the Prophet's Mosque. The project will see the development of 500 new housing units and 80,000 hotel rooms, increasing hotel capacity to receive 240,000 guests per day, in addition to increasing the number of prayer areas to accommodate 200,000 worshippers per day.

The company's activities will include the development of hotel, commercial and residential projects, as well as the development of cultural centres and museums to enrich Al Madinah's religious, cultural and historical offerings. The company will broaden opportunities for investment and private sector participation through the development of strategic partnerships. The project will also create pedestrian passages as well as update the public transport stations at the end of the pedestrian passages.

Rou'a Al Madinah projects will create around 200,000 job opportunities, with an estimated annual contribution to GDP of SAR7 billion.

Initial preparation works are currently under way, with construction due to start in 2018. The first phase of the project is anticipated to launch in 2023.

Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA takes over two hotels close to Masjid Al Haram

Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa (MEA) is continuing with its successful expansion strategy across KSA with the takeover of two landmark hotels in Makkah. The move solidifies the group’s position as one of the fastest growing operators in the kingdom, ensuring it comfortably meets its target to open over 20 hotels in Saudi Arabia within the next four years.

Source: Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA. The Makkah Millennium Hotel and Towers.

Following the signing of a management agreement with Makkah Construction & Development Company, the Group will operate Makkah Millennium Hotel and Makkah Millennium Towers under the global flagship of Millennium Hotels and Resorts, Middle East and Africa. The agreement comes into effect by 1 September 2017. 

As the nearest hotels to Al Masjid Al Haram, with direct access to the Ka'abah, the properties occupy a premium location in Makkah and are an ideal base for pilgrims. With iconic architecture and traditionally-inspired Arabian décor combined, both hotels create a contemporary celebration of Arabic hospitality, and will offer world-class amenities, including a range of restaurants, meeting spaces, prayer halls and fitness facilities.

The 614-key Makkah Millennium Hotel is scheduled to go under extensive renovation with the aim of conversion into a luxury property that is part of The Biltmore Collection. Meanwhile, the 802-key Makkah Millennium Towers, adjacent to the Makkah Millennium Hotel will deliver the high service standards expected from the Millennium Collection. 

Ali Hamad Lakhraim Alzaabi, President and CEO, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA stated; “We are honoured to enter into an agreement with Makkah Construction & Development Company, one of the Kingdom’s most renowned real estate developers to operate these landmark hotels. Religious tourism is expected to rise even further in the Holy City, and with significant government investment into infrastructure there are plenty of opportunities to support this development by offering an array of excellent accommodation options for visitors.

"Our group possesses the resources and knowledge to operate these prestigious properties, ensuring we consistently deliver the highest standards thanks to our global expertise combined with a deep understanding of the region. We look forward to beginning this long term and fruitful relationship with Makkah Construction & Development Company.”

HE Sheikh Abdul Rahman A. Fakieh, Chairman of Makkah Construction and Development Company noted; “We are delighted to enter into this partnership and look forward to working closely with global hospitality leader Millennium Hotels & Resorts. We are confident that they will deliver exceptional operational and service standards and their considerable expertise will enable these unique properties to achieve their full potential, ensuring a mutually beneficial collaboration for many years to come.”

Millennium Hotels & Resorts currently operates five properties in KSA, with an additional 21 upcoming properties in the pipeline. The Group’s next openings for the country include Millennium Madina Airport, Millennium Makkah Al Naseem and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem. 

KSA NCP moves towards privatisation of Hajj and umrah sector

The National Center for Privatization & PPP (NCP), a newly-formed agency created to empower Saudi Arabia's private sector, alongside the Supervisory Committees (SCs) established to manage each privatisation sector, has set out the blueprint to ensure the efficient and strategic transfer of the kingdom's government assets to the private sector.

The NCP, established through the Council of Ministers Resolution on April 3, 2017, and the SCs are the first entities of their kind in the MENA region. They have been established to meet the core objectives of the privatisation effort: improving the efficiency and competitiveness of the national economy, thereby boosting the quality of life for the Saudi people through stimulation of the private sector, improving the overall business environment, increasing job opportunities for Saudi nationals, reinvigorating the kingdom's rich mineral resources sector, developing renewable energy capacity, investing in workforce and education development and diversifying the economy.

The KSA Council of Ministers announced the establishment of the SCs on August 1, and these were given a definitive mandate to function as executive facilitators for multiple sectors which are to be privatised over the next 10 years. NCP will serve as a permanent member of all SCs, providing strategic guidance and support as the committees move to enhance KSA's economy by recruiting private sector participation through asset privatisation and the formation of new public-private partnerships.

The role of each committee is to assess the technical, financial, legal and regulatory landscape and to establish a best practice blueprint for the privatisation of the targeted entities. The Ministry of Finance, a permanent member in all the SCs, will also play a crucial role in the privatisation process.

The sectors included in Vision 2030 under the Privatization Program are: environment, water and agriculture; transport; energy, industry and mineral resources; labour and social development; housing; education; health; municipalities, telecommunications and IT and the Hajj and umrah sectors.

NCP will formulate regulations, create privatisation frameworks and prepare robust processes that will serve as a blueprint for agencies and entities to follow that will ensure the efficient sale of Saudi assets and to drive the privatisation process forward. The first step in this process is to establish a world-class centre of excellence to facilitate and regulate the sale of state assets and entities. "NCP has adopted a wide-ranging governance policy that will enable government agencies and hold each accountable as we move forward with stimulating private investment and privatisation," said Turki A. Al Hokail, CEO of the NCP.

"We will facilitate the smooth transfer of assets by publishing a blueprint that will deepen communication channels between government agencies, citizens and the private sector locally, regionally and internationally and serve to guide investors and participating agencies and entities through the privatisation process.

"NCP was established with the purpose of setting policies, strategies, programmes, bylaws, plans and tools to achieve the privatisation projects objectives, thus suggesting the sectors and activities that may be privatised. The centre will also set necessary standards and frameworks for sectors targeted for privatisation, set principles which help the management of privatisation-related projects, develop requirements to establish entities where the private sector – from inside and outside the kingdom – may participate with government entities in the launched privatisation projects.

"NCP will work with the sectors targeted for privatisation to ensure their technical and financial readiness. The Center will work to assess the readiness of the macro economy of the privatisation programs and contribute to managing related risks. It will work with its counterparts to identify key performance indicators related to privatisation. In addition, NCP will be contributing to the training and qualification of human capital in the field of privatisation to guarantee leveraging their abilities and expertise to achieve development objectives.

"Effective governance means integrating a continuous evolution of improvement to keep pace with the rising accountability and transparency expected of government. NCP will serve as an agile, performance-oriented public organisation that will boost performance and increase investment opportunity in the kingdom."

It is anticipated that the privatisation process will increase the private sector's contribution to GDP from 40% to 65%.

Eaglexpress retains growth potential: MGBF

Source: MGBF. A plane in Eaglexpress livery.

The Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) research team has developed a report on Eaglexpress, the dedicated Hajj and umrah flight operator that fills the need to move large numbers of passengers beyond the capability of regularly scheduled flights. The report tracks the airline's performance from its establishment and explores how Eaglexpress can ensure a sustainable future.

According to MGBF, the future is bright for Eaglexpress when KSA plans on increasing the quota for pilgrims annually as part of its Vision 2030. "This bodes well for Eaglexpress as technically they would be able to operate flights out of Malaysia under their own call sign and able to provide 'wet leased'* aircraft to fly from any Muslim country during peak times as created during Hajj and umrah seasons throughout the various times in the year to meet the capacity required to move the millions of proposed passengers," MGBF said in a statement.

Eaglexpress was established on in 2012, with an initial paid up capital of RM5 million. The company has since generated over US$400 Million in foreign earnings for Malaysia. The airline also has a valid IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certificate, and is only one of three operators in the country to obtain it.

Until very recently, MGBF notes that Eaglexpress was operating mostly international business. Its ability to maintain an excellent record with international regulators and safety compliance organisations is a critical success factor, MGBF said. 

The airline was thrown into crisis when Malaysian authorities revoked its Air Services Permit (ASP) in December 2016, while it was fulfilling a RM38 million contract to carry 25,000 pilgrims for umrah from Malaysia. This has now become the focus of a judicial review as Eaglexpress argues that it was not given fair warning or natural justice, especially as the airline at that time had already been operating for five years. The Foreign Operator Certificate (FOC) issued by the Saudi authorities for umrah under its own call sign was subsequently put on hold. The developments are estimated to lead to cumulative business losses of over US$100 million.

MGBF believes that Eaglexpress should consider partnering with or be adopted by a Malaysian government linked company (GLC) to enter the next stage of growth. The research team also said that Eaglexpress is well placed to establish a vendor development programme especially for bumi small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to supply halal food and suitable entertainment content on the nine-hour flight to KSA. Eaglexpress could also provide reduced cargo prices for Malaysian products to KSA.

MGBF also says that Eaglexpress has not fully capitalised on goodwill created through hosting Malaysian evacuees from the Yemen crisis, which was not widely publicised. The company has a strong social responsibility culture as well, having employed many single mothers and staff laid off by other airlines in the country. "This needs to be communicated to the public together with the fact that Eaglexpress in a social responsibility that is realised through the business of umrah and Hajj flight operations," MGBF said.

Eaglexpress has seen regional investors looking to invest directly into the company to take advantage of the growth in the global umrah and Hajj business, especially in key markets of Africa, Middle East and Greater Asia. Markets which currently see many non-Muslim companies leading the way in supply of aircraft.

*Wet leased aircraft are leased together with crew as opposed to dry leased aircraft, which is the leasing of the aircraft alone.

KSA reaffirms welcome for Qatari pilgrims

The KSA Ministry of Hajj and Umra has said that Hajj and umrah pilgrims from Qatar are still welcome even with the government's decision to sever relations with Qatar.

"The Kingdom affirms its commitment and keenness to provide all facilities and services for Qatari and all pilgrims," the ministry said in a statement online.

Oman Air has also stated through Facebook on June 13 that Qatari citizens are now allowed to travel on Oman Air from Doha to Jeddah via Muscat for umrah.

On June 5, the KSA government announced that it had severed diplomatic and consular relations with Qatar, closed all land, sea and air ports to the country to prevent Qatar from crossing into Saudi territories, airspace and territorial waters for reasons relating to Saudi national security.

Saudi citizens are prohibited from travelling to Qatar, residing in or passing through it, while Saudi residents and visitors had to leave Qatari territories within 14 days. Likewise, Qatari citizens may not enter or transit through KSA, and Qatari residents and visitors had to leave Saudi territories within 14 days.

Interested?

Qatari umrah pilgrims who wish to book a flight can visit the Oman Air sales office in Doha, Qatar, go to Oman Air's website or through our 24 x 7 call centre on +968 2453 1111.
Hashtag: #OmanAir, #Qatar

Umrah tour operators in Pakistan to submit documents by end-April

The Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs has announced that umrah tour operators must submit their contract/agreement documents for attestation by 30 April to the Section Officer for Umrah. 

Interested?

View the list of approved umrah tour operators for the year 2016-2017 (1438)

Number of umrah pilgrims have grown by 100%

A report from the KSA Ministry of Haj and Umra on November 17 indicated that the number of umrah pilgrims from overseas has more than doubled over the past year. According to the report, 102,480 umrah pilgrims entered the KSA on November 16, compared to 45,634 umra pilgrims entering on the same day a year* before. 

The report further detailed that no pilgrims overstayed their visas, compared to 1% in the 2015-2016 season (1437). The report also stated that 339,702 umrah visas have been issued as of November 16. 

Source: Ministry of Haj and Umra, KSA. KSA Ministry of Haj and Umra offers flowers and presents to the first group, of pilgrims from the 2016-2017 (1438) umrah season.

The first group, of pilgrims from the 2016-2017 (1438) umrah season came from India and Egypt, the ministry reported in late October.

Hashtag: #UmraWelcomeProgram

*The year-on-year comparison is for the Islamic year, which is slightly over 354 days long.

Awqaf shares pilgrim's information kit

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments of the UAE (Awqaf) has printed an information kit on Hajj and umrah which shall be provided to every pilgrim in the UAE. The kit contains six books with topics including: guidance to pilgrims, how to perform Haij, jurisprudence of Hajj and umrah, fatwas on Hajj and umrah, supplication in Haij and umrah as well as rulings and etiquette during Hajj.
The kit is a result of the reading initiative launched by HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE President, and will be given as a gift to every pilgrim in campaigns and at airport departure points.

Pakistan moves to regulate umrah services

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony of Pakistan has issued a detailed umrah policy to help regulate umrah organisers, standardise services, and address complaints from pilgrims.

The policy covers the procedures for the formal appointment of umrah organisers, terms of service as an umrah service supplier, and the creation of a umrah welfare fund that will be used to print and distribute literature for umrah pilgrims, pay for umrah-related advertising in newspapers, and address pilgrim welfare as required.

An organisational structure has also been created to handle complaints by umrah pilgrims, together with an outline of complaint procedures and potential penalties. The Complaint Disposal Committee on Umrah Matters is to be chaired by the Joint Secretary (Umrah), with the Deputy Secretary (Umrah) and a Section Officer (Umrah) as members. A Section Officer from another department must also be part of the committee. A Section Officer based in Makkah, KSA will be further appointed as an extension of the Committee.

Interested?

Read the umrah policy (PDF)