Saudi Arabia suspends seven Umrah companies over transport violations

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended seven Umrah companies operating in Medina for failing to meet their transport service obligations to pilgrims, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The ministry took decisive action by halting the operations of the violating firms and liquidating their bank guarantees to fund alternative transport arrangements for the affected pilgrims.

The violations involved the companies' failure to deliver transport services as stipulated in their approved service programmes, breaching contractual terms agreed upon with the ministry.

 The move comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s broader efforts to enhance the quality of services provided to pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque. It aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate the pilgrim experience across all stages of their spiritual journey.

The ministry highlighted the importance of upholding service standards and fulfilling contractual commitments, reiterating its commitment to protecting the rights of pilgrims and ensuring their comfort and safety.

It also underscored its zero-tolerance policy toward negligence or any breach of service obligations, calling on all Umrah operators to adhere strictly to regulations, maintain service schedules, and deliver a high standard of care and professionalism.