Saudi Arabia’s Hajj and Umrah Ministry has suspended 21 companies providing services to Umrah pilgrims after an inspection and performance review revealed regulatory violations and deterioration in service standards.The move comes as part of the Kingdom’s preparations for the upcoming Umrah season and reflects its wider efforts to strengthen surveillance, improve service quality and protect the rights of pilgrims.
Performance reviews trigger action
According to the ministry, the decision has been taken after a comprehensive assessment conducted after the last Umrah season. The assessment revealed violations of regulations governing Umrah services, as well as deficiencies in service delivery among several operators.Of the suspended companies, 15 were penalized for recording low performance scores based on approved assessment indicators. The remaining six companies were suspended for committing regulatory violations that required formal legal and corrective action.
The evaluation system focuses on quality
The ministry said its evaluation framework relies on a set of operational and supervisory indicators designed to measure both service quality and compliance with established rules.Officials explained that the system aims to promote healthy competition among service providers, raise industry standards and support the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 by ensuring a safe, efficient and high-quality experience for Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Prophet’s Mosque.
Zero tolerance for service failure
Reaffirming its commitment to strict regulatory enforcement, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah stressed that it will not tolerate loopholes that negatively impact pilgrims or compromise the quality of service.The ministry said continuous monitoring and evaluation of service providers is central to its strategy to develop the Umrah sector and improve the overall pilgrim experience.
extensive regulatory pressure
The latest action follows an earlier enforcement measure in February, when Saudi authorities suspended the contracts of about 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector.At the time, the ministry said the affected agencies were given a grace period of 10 days to address deficiencies identified during periodic assessment of performance and service quality. The suspension was limited to the issuance of new visas, with contracts eligible to be reactivated once compliance requirements were met.The ministry said such measures are part of the ongoing regulatory approach aimed at increasing accountability, improving service standards and ensuring that pilgrims receive the expected service levels under the state’s developed Umrah framework.