Shafaqna Pakistan: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with 1,800 foreign Umrah travel agencies after finding that they failed to meet required performance and service standards, the Saudi Gazette reported.
The suspended agencies account for a significant portion of the nearly 5,800 firms operating in the Umrah sector.
According to the ministry, the decision followed a routine evaluation that uncovered serious operational shortcomings among several agencies.
Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Al-Nuaimi said the affected companies have been given 10 days to address the identified deficiencies. He added that the suspension currently applies only to the issuance of new Umrah visas.
Agencies that comply with the ministry’s standards within the given timeframe will have their contracts reinstated, Al-Nuaimi said.
The ministry said the decision will not impact pilgrims who have already obtained visas or made prior bookings, and that services will continue as scheduled.
Al-Nuaimi said the ministry would continue to enhance its monitoring and evaluation systems to safeguard pilgrims’ rights and strengthen confidence in the Umrah sector.
He warned that agencies that failed to address deficiencies by the deadline would face further punitive measures.
Source: Express Tribune
