Makkah hotels get green light to issue Umrah permits
Ramadan boost for hospitality sector struggling from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic
Hotels surrounding the courtyards of the Grand Mosque in Makkah were on Tuesday authorized to issue Umrah permits to guests during Ramadan in an initiative to help revive the city’s struggling hospitality sector.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will oversee the scheme in partnership with the Saudi Authority for Data and Artificial Intelligence via the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna apps to ensure all necessary COVID-19 safety protocols are met. The hotel sector in Makkah has suffered a dramatic slump in business due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the measure is designed to give a much-needed boost to the industry.
Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Abdelfattah bin Sulaiman Mashat said hotels were highly dependent on the Hajj and Umrah seasons and he hoped the procedures would further help to jump start investment in the sector. Rayan bin Osama Filali, chairman of the hotel committee, an affiliate of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said that 1,800 hotels and more than 250,000 homes in Makkah were being prepared to receive Umrah pilgrims.
Nearly 1 million pilgrims and 2 million worshippers visited the Grand Mosque during the first 20 days of Ramadan, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques said on Tuesday.
Osama Al-Hujaili, the director for crowd control, said the presidency had made full use of its operational capacity to serve pilgrims during the holy month. “The finest services were provided and paths for the elderly and people with disabilities were created,” he said.
“We call on pilgrims to adhere to the times set by the Eatmarna and Tawakkalna apps, wear masks, and follow social distancing rules.”