Abdulmohsen Al Salem, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Umrah and Visit Affairs, confirmed that there are no new requirements for Umrah, explaining that the ministry continues to work to facilitate procedures for Umrah performers. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Al Salem stressed that the ministry is working to develop the Umrah journey and expand the options available to Umrah performers through initiatives including the multiple-entry Umrah visa, enabling bookings through approved online travel platforms, and enhancing the integration of digital services and artificial intelligence applications. He noted that this approach coincides with early preparations for peak periods and efforts to enhance the sector's readiness to accommodate expected growth. Peak Periods Regarding peak periods, Al Salem said they are affected by Umrah demand levels throughout the season. The ministry, in coordination with relevant authorities and service providers, works to prepare for these periods in advance and enhance readiness to accommodate the expected growth. He added that each year, the ministry works to achieve gradual and sustainable growth in the number of Umrah performers, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, while simultaneously developing services, enhancing the sector's readiness, and improving the quality of the experience for the Guests of Allah. New Initiatives According to Al Salem, the ministry is working on a number of initiatives aimed at developing the Umrah experience and facilitating the Umrah journey. Among the most prominent is the multiple-entry Umrah visa initiative, which the ministry launched recently. He said the initiative represents a model for developing arrival procedures and gives Umrah performers greater flexibility in planning their journeys and performing Umrah. The ministry is also working to expand direct access for individuals to Umrah services through approved global and local online travel platforms, enabling Umrah performers to plan their journeys, access services, and make bookings with greater ease and flexibility. Al Salem said these initiatives form part of a broader approach to developing the Umrah journey model by expanding the options available to Umrah performers, facilitating access to services, and utilizing digital solutions throughout the different stages of the journey. This contributes to enhancing the quality of the experience and raising the level of competitiveness in the Umrah sector. Artificial Intelligence In the area of artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah continues to utilize modern and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, Al Salem confirmed. These technologies are being used to develop the services provided to the Guests of Allah and to move beyond digitizing procedures toward leveraging data and advanced analytics to improve the experience and support decision-making. He said one of the most prominent current applications is the "Nusuk AI" service, the intelligent digital assistant within the Nusuk application. It provides the Guests of Allah with information and guidance and answers their inquiries through text and voice interaction. Another service is the Digital Mutawwif, which assists Umrah performers and pilgrims in counting the circuits of Tawaf and Sa'i, directing them toward areas with lower crowd density, and guiding them with prescribed supplications and remembrances. The Monitoring and Control Center is also one of the technological enablers on which the ministry relies to monitor the journeys of pilgrims and Umrah performers. It does so by integrating live data and converting it into indicators and dashboards that support rapid response, decision-making, and the improvement of service quality. Digitalization and Requirements The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah confirmed that there are no new requirements for Umrah, and that the ministry continues to work to facilitate procedures and develop services to make the Umrah journey easier and more flexible. He added that the Umrah journey has now reached an advanced level of digital integration through a system of services that enables various procedures to be completed electronically. Among the most prominent are the Nusuk application and platform, which provide more than 150 digital services to more than 51 million users from more than 170 countries, in addition to providing direct access to Umrah services and package bookings through approved global and local online travel platforms. The next phase will focus on strengthening this integration and developing a more interconnected and seamless digital experience, while leveraging data and modern technologies to provide more proactive and personalized services based on the needs of the Guests of Allah. 346 Companies Providing Services There are currently 346 licensed Umrah companies authorized to provide Umrah services, according to Al Salem, who said this reflects the expansion of the service-provider base and the growing participation of the private sector in serving Umrah performers. The ministry continuously works to develop policies and regulations, empower the private sector, and create a more attractive and competitive environment to enhance the experience of the Guests of Allah in the Umrah sector. This opens the way for new companies to enter the sector and for the development of diverse service models that meet the needs of Umrah performers and keep pace with the continued growth in their numbers. Monitoring Regarding the monitoring of companies' performance, Al Salem said there is an ongoing regulatory and field oversight system that conducts daily inspection tours across various Umrah service locations. Since the beginning of the 1448 AH Umrah season, the number of these inspection tours has exceeded 32,000. They have covered accommodation facilities for Umrah performers, Umrah companies and service providers, as well as a number of service locations, to verify compliance with regulatory and operational requirements, identify observations, and address them. Whenever any deficiency is identified, it is addressed immediately in accordance with the applicable regulatory procedures, which may include suspension, thereby safeguarding the rights of Umrah performers. He added that the ministry's work is not limited to measuring satisfaction. Through field and digital measurement tools and data analysis, it monitors observations, seeks to understand the needs of the Guests of Allah, and identifies opportunities for improvement. The ministry is also expanding its use of advanced and predictive analytics to support decision-making and anticipate challenges. This contributes to moving from addressing observations after they occur to identifying their indicators at an early stage and continuously improving services. Reclassification The quality of the Umrah performer's experience is a fundamental component in the classification of Umrah companies. According to Al Salem, the assessment of companies' performance is not limited to their compliance with regulatory and operational requirements. It also encompasses the quality of services provided and the actual experience of Umrah performers. He noted that companies undergo periodic assessments based on a set of criteria related to service quality and compliance with regulations and requirements. In June, the ministry suspended 21 Umrah companies following an assessment of their performance during the previous season. Of these, 15 companies were suspended due to low performance evaluation ratings, while six were suspended for violations of regulations and instructions. He added that the ministry continuously works to develop its classification methodology and assessment criteria and to benefit from the results of measuring the experience of the Guests of Allah and service quality indicators. This is intended to strengthen competition among companies based on the quality of the experience and raise the level of services provided to Umrah performers.
