RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies after determining that they failed to meet the kingdom’s required performance and service standards, according to a report by Saudi Gazette.
The suspended agencies account for a significant portion of the approximately 5,800 companies currently operating in the Umrah sector, highlighting the scale of the regulatory action.
The ministry said the decision was taken following a routine periodic evaluation that identified serious operational deficiencies among a number of agencies. These shortcomings, officials said, raised concerns over service quality and compliance with established regulations.
Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuaimi stated that the affected agencies have been given a 10-day window to address and rectify the identified issues. He clarified that the suspension applies only to the issuance of new Umrah visas during this period.
Agencies that successfully meet the ministry’s standards within the given timeframe will see their contracts reinstated, Al-Nuaimi added.
The ministry emphasized that the decision will not affect pilgrims who have already obtained Umrah visas or made prior travel bookings, assuring that all services for existing pilgrims will continue as scheduled without disruption.
Al-Nuaimi said the ministry remains committed to strengthening its monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to protect pilgrims’ rights and reinforce trust in the Umrah services sector.
He also warned that agencies failing to correct deficiencies within the stipulated deadline would face further punitive measures, underscoring the ministry’s zero-tolerance approach toward non-compliance.
