A Haj and Umrah expert in the Kingdom said that 284 companies had to quit Umrah operations since the implementation of a regulation decree, with an approximate market value of SR 6.8 billion. “The Umrah service companies that did not adhere to the new regulations suffered huge financial losses and eventually had to leave the market,” deputy chairman of Shaaer Tourism Promotion Company’s Board of Directors Ahmed Bafaqieh said in a statement. Currently 48 Umrah service companies and establishments are operating in the country, he said. The implementation of the new executive regulations started in 2000 with the aim to ensure reliable and excellent services to the pilgrims. Reluctance by certain company owners to seek advice from officials in the Ministry of Haj about the details of the new regulations and to amend their old practices stop have made it hard for them to survive, he said. The ministry officials were always willing to discuss any difficulty faced by companies while implementing the new Umrah regulations, he added. The successful companies were the ones that improved their operation methods in line with the new regulations. Some companies faced major difficulties regarding one of the regulations, which stipulated that pilgrim operation should end on the 15th of Shawwal (Sept. 2). These companies experience a hard time in finding enough flights and seats availability for more than 1.5 million pilgrims within the duration of 15 days after Ramadan. This problem was resolved when the ministry extended the last day for pilgrim operations till the 30th of Dhul Qaada, giving companies 45 more days. Bafaqieh said a finger printing system was also implemented as part of the new regulations. “We are also striving to introduce new methods to ensure the safe return of all pilgrims back to their countries before the end of their permitted period of stay,” he added. These new methods would include depositing a certain amount as a financial guarantee for each pilgrim, especially those coming from countries blamed for overstaying in the Kingdom. The deposit would be returned upon the arrival of pilgrims back to their home countries. Bafaqieh suggested that over stayers would be punished that would include jail terms and fines. The new regulations include affixing a sticker on the cover of a pilgrim’s passport in Arabic and in the pilgrim’s mother tongue to specify his residential arrangements in Makkah and Madinah. These details could be read with a barcode reader. The number of Umrah pilgrims exceeded 6 million this year, 15 percent more than the last year’s 5.1 million, according to reliable statistics. From: Arab News