Riyadh (HRNW)- The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended the contracts of 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies for poor performance and non-compliance with service standards. These agencies are a significant part of the approximately 5,800 agencies operating in the Umrah sector.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, the decision was made after a regular review (Periodic Evaluation), which revealed serious shortcomings in the performance of several agencies. The affected agencies have been given 10 days to address the identified shortcomings.
Ministry spokesman Ghassan Al-Nuaimi said that the suspension will currently only apply to the issuance of new Umrah visas, while previously issued visas or bookings will not be affected and pilgrims’ services will continue uninterrupted.
He clarified that the contracts of agencies that meet the standards within the specified period will be reinstated.
Support humanitarian and public-interest initiatives: https://www.hrnww.com/donate-us/
