Cairo: Saudi authorities have revoked licences of 10 companies offering services to Muslims performing Umrah or minor pilgrimage after these firms were found to have involved in repeated major violations.
The 10 among a total of 321 companies operating in the Umrah service sector, had earlier been warned over their breaches from oversight teams at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
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Their violations included failure to provide appropriate housing for Umrah pilgrims, and comfortable transportation for the faithful moving between the cities of Mecca and Medina, home to Islam’s holiest sites.
Other violations include those firms’ failure to provide agents in both cities and get reservations for pilgrims to visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa, where the tomb of the Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is located at the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina.
The names of the firms were, however, not released.
Saudi Arabia expects around 10 million Muslims from abroad during the current Umrah season.
The season began more than five months ago after the end of the annual Hajj pilgrimage season that around 1.8 million Muslims attended in Saudi Arabia for the first time in three years after pandemic-related restrictions were lifted.
Muslims, who cannot physically or financially afford Hajj, go to Saudi Arabia to do Umrah.
In recent months, the kingdom has unveiled a host of facilities for overseas Muslims to come to the country to perform Umrah.
Muslims holding different types of entry visas such as the personal, visit and tourist visas are allowed to undertake Umrah and visit Al Rawda Al Sharifa.
Saudi authorities have extended the Umrah visa from 30 days to 90 and allowed holders to enter the kingdom via all land, air and sea outlets and leave from any airport. Women pilgrims are no longer required to be escorted by male guardians. The kingdom has also said that expatriates residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries are eligible to apply for a tourist visa, regardless of their profession, and be able to perform Umrah.
