JAKARTA - The Saudi government has tightened the rules for umrah services at the peak of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah. The focus: service packages must be clear, especially catering, taking into account the availability and hygiene of food, as well as the certainty of hotels during the stay of the congregation. The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah (Kemenhaj) RI asks Umrah Travel Organizers (PPIU) to comply with these provisions so that pilgrims are not harmed.
Director General of Haji and Umrah Implementation, Puji Raharjo, said the policy aims to ensure the safety and comfort of Indonesian pilgrims while in the Holy Land. "The Saudi government wants to ensure that all pilgrims receive clear and guaranteed services, especially during the peak season of Ramadan. Therefore, PPIU must comply with the rules of the service package that has been set," said Puji in Jakarta, as reported by the kemenhaj website, Saturday, February 28.
Puji said, the letter signed by the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah contains a number of points that must be met by the organizer. First, every umrah package must clearly include catering services to ensure the consumption of pilgrims. Second, pilgrims are not allowed to leave without a real umrah package that has been approved. The package must include the main service components for safety and quality of service. Third, PPIU is asked to ensure the condition of the pilgrims during their stay in Saudi Arabia through coordination with the syarikah, and must have proof of booking accommodation in official hotels registered with the Saudi Ministry of Tourism.
"We ask all travel organizers to immediately adjust their service packages. Don't let there be pilgrims who leave without certainty of hotels, consumption, and other basic services," said Puji.
Director of Special Hajj and Umrah Akhmad Fauzin added that this tightening also targets the operational discipline of Indonesian umrah organizers. According to him, the surge in pilgrims during Ramadan makes supervision of services more strict. "Saudi Arabia wants to ensure that the arrival of pilgrims is more orderly and the accommodation is clear. This is also to protect pilgrims from unrealistic or incomplete umrah packages," said Fauzin.
Fauzin appealed to prospective pilgrims to choose an official PPIU with a transparent package. "Make sure the umrah package includes tickets, hotels, transportation, consumption, and other services before departure," he said.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
