Saudi Arabia has suspended the contracts of 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, out of approximately 5,800, owing to poor service and given them 10 days to rectify their status, reported Arab News.
The decision from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah follows the results of a periodic evaluation that revealed performance shortcomings and poor service quality among these agencies, stated the report citing the SPA.
The ministry pointed out that the suspension applies only to the issuance of new visas and is part of a regulatory approach to help agencies address classification issues and improve compliance with approved standards.
Contracts will be reactivated once the requirements are met within the grace period, stated the ministry.
Ghassan Alnwaimi, the ministry’s spokesperson, said regulatory action will be taken against any agency that fails to correct deficiencies by the deadline.
The ministry will continue using monitoring and evaluation tools to strengthen the reliability of the Umrah sector and safeguard pilgrims’ rights.
However, those Umrah performers who hold valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected, as services to them will continue unchanged, he added.
