Saudi Arabia enforces stringent safety protocols for Mecca and Medina hospitality facilities
Hospitality facilities urged to enact emergency evacuation plans, conduct mock drills
Dubai: The Ministry of Tourism has issued a directive to all hospitality establishments in Mecca and Medina, stressing the utmost importance of adhering to safety protocols and guidelines provided by the General Directorate of Civil Defence.
This directive comes in conjunction with the Ramadan Umrah season and ahead of the upcoming Hajj 1445 AH, aiming to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors, Umrah performers, and pilgrims.
In addition to implementing established safety measures, the Ministry has urged hospitality facilities to enact their emergency evacuation plans and conduct mock drills in collaboration with Civil Defence authorities.
The Ministry of Tourism stressed that it will spare no effort to uphold the highest standards of security and visitor welfare to provide pilgrims with a spiritually enriching and secure experience during their time in Mecca and Medina.
These measures come as part of the Ministry’s comprehensive strategy to guarantee that the hospitality sector not only delivers exceptional services but also prioritises the safety and security of all guests throughout their sacred journey.
Around 7.5 million Umrah pilgrims accessed the Grand mosque since Ramadan started on March 11, Al Arabiya TV reported, estimating that 10 million other worshippers went to the Prophet’s Mosque in the same period.
Last week, Saudi Arabia banned repetition of performing Umrah during Ramadan to ease overcrowding.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said no permit is issued for performing two or more Umrahs in Ramadan, urging the faithful to make do with one lesser pilgrimage with the aim of easing congestion, giving others the chance to undertake Umrah and helping in crowd management.
To cope with the influx, Saudi authorities have recently unveiled a series of measures to help worshippers perform rites smoothly and comfortably including allocating the circumambulation courtyard around the Holy Kaaba and the ground floor for Umrah pilgrims during Ramadan.
Furthermore, authorities have allocated certain gates of the sprawling mosque for pilgrims’ entry and exit to stave off overcrowding.