Accommodations for pilgrims likely to generate SR5b

24 September 2011

MAKKAH – Several Haj missions have completed renting residential buildings for accommodating pilgrims this year as rent contracts were approved by relevant Tawafa organizations. Mansour Abu Raiyash, Chairman of the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Real Estate Committee, estimated that 8,000 hotels and rented residential buildings would generate a revenue of over SR5 billion, Al-Watan newspaper said. He said the average amount a pilgrim would pay for accommodation is SR3,000. The Central Zone (hotels and residential buildings) dominates the larger share of accommodation revenues, the official added.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20110924109403

The Haj Terminal at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah.

By MD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Sep 25, 2011 00:04 Updated: Sep 25, 2011 00:04

JEDDAH: The first Haj flight will arrive at King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah on Thursday, the national committee of airlines announced on Saturday.

It did not reveal where the flight would originate but said all arrangements were completed to receive the guests of God at the airport.

Sources at the Indian Consulate General in Jeddah said the first Haj flight from the country would arrive in the Kingdom on Thursday. Pilgrims from Pakistan and Bangladesh are expected to arrive from Friday.

Abdul Aziz Al-Hazmi, deputy director general of Saudi Arabian Airlines who chairs the committee of airline representatives, said 50 carriers would be transporting pilgrims to Saudi Arabia and more than 20,000 coaches would be transporting them inside the country during the Haj season.

Saudia alone will fly about 500,000 foreign pilgrims from 42 embarkation points on special Haj flights and scheduled flights.

Airport sources said the United Agents Office (UAO), the official agency responsible for internal transport of pilgrims, would depoly about 8,000 workers at the Haj Terminal to serve the pilgrims.

The workers include 4,400 laborers who will load pilgrims’ luggage to the buses that take them to Makkah or Madinah from the airport.

They said other employees would help complete arrival procedures, resolve any problems pilgrims might face at the points of entry and guide them to government departments, banks, airline offices and other services.

The UAO said it would explain to pilgrims their rights and duties and provide them with pamphlets indicating the services to which they were entitled and useful addresses and contact numbers.

The office said in view of the large number of pilgrims arriving via KAIA, it has assigned special gathering points for each flight to make it easier to direct pilgrims to their buses waiting outside the terminal.

The office, under the supervision of the Haj Ministry, annually serves more than 2 million pilgrims. It has branch offices established at all other air, land and sea inlets.

There are 16 points consisting of three air, 11 land and two sea inlets (Jeddah Islamic Port and Yanbu Seaport).

http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article506349.ece

Last day of Hajj 2010

21 september 2011

JEDDAH – The Unified Agents Office, a Tawafa institutions working under the supervision of the Ministry of Haj, said it has 4,000 jobs for Saudi youths in different sectors – administrative, field, bill collection, accounting, transport, reception, guidance, auditing and follow-up.

Dr. Abdul Ilah Bin Muhammad Jada’, member of the Board of Directors and Supervisor of Public Relations and Information, said that besides launching the seminar’s program, job applicants were acquainted with the nature of jobs, so as to help them gain the required skills and raise their level of competence in serving the pilgrims at the country’s entry points.

Jada’ said the Unified Agents Office serves pilgrims by facilitating entry procedures at Saudi borders in coordination with concerned authorities.

This is apart from welcoming, helping, guiding and enlightening the pilgrims; providing care for people with special needs; and collecting fees for Tawafa establishments, tents at the holy sites, pilgrims’ transportation, safekeeping of passports and their baggage.

Jada’ said that like every year, even this year the Unified Agents Office will seek help from only Saudi youth. He added that this year’s Haj operation plan will be more realistic and ambitious after detecting some negative aspects during the past years.

This is besides developing several administrations and departments, so as to achieve high quality services for the pilgrims.

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index...20110921109256

Two Muslim pilgrims pray as tens of thousands of Muslim pilgrims move around the Kaaba,
the black cube seen at centre, inside the Grand Mosque, during the annual Hajj Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

September 27 2011

MORE than 5 000 South African Muslims have been denied permission to visit Saudi Arabia next week to perform their compulsory Hajj pilgrimage. Local travel agents say they have lost millions of rand.

Shaheen Essop, secretary-general of the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (Sahuc), said 8000 South Africans had applied to go on the holy pilgrimage this year, 79% of whom were first-time applicants. Only 3000 were allowed to go. “The whole Hajj industry in South Africa is in turmoil,” said Essop.

The Hajj is a religious journey to Mecca. With three million visitors, it is the largest pilgrimage in the world and a religious duty that must be carried out at least once by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so.

Essop said the quota was based on how many Muslims the Saudi government believed were in South Africa, which was 2.5 million.

But these figures were believed to be based on the 2001 census, he said.

“Census 2011 may help to correct these figures if the question of religious following is asked.”

Flywell travel agency owner Abu-baker Ahmed said his company has lost more than R15m.

“From an agent’s point of view it’s frustrating. We budgeted on 800 people and accommodation is prepaid 18 months in advance. Now we don’t even have 200 places,” he said.

“The Saudis must increase our quota. I agree with quotas. The holy cities of Mecca and Medina do not have limitless space and there is a lack of infrastructure for everybody to come at once.”

The pilgrimage has experienced safety issues such as stampedes because of uncontrollable volumes.

Ahmed said the government did not get involved in religious matters, but he believed the Department of Foreign Affairs had the negotiating power to secure more places.

Mohammed Waza, 33, of Mpumalanga was one hopeful pilgrim.

He will reapply next year.

Johannesburg resident Afzal Moola shares the disappointment.

“I am 42 years old and wanted to go with my wife.”

He paid a deposit of R40 000, which he has yet to recover. He has high blood pressure and wants to go now, “while I still can”.

http://www.iol.co.za/sundayindepende...moil-1.1145370

 

Sep 25, 2011

PATNA: The Haj pilgrims this time will have to spend less compared to the previous year, thanks to the fall of the value of Saudi Riyal. The expenditure, particularly on boarding and lodging in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, during the 40-day Haj rituals will be less than what had been estimated.

Still, the number of pilgrims from Bihar could not exceed 5,200 this year, as against the official quota of 10,000. The departure of pilgrims will start from here on September 29. "Everyday two flights will take the pilgrims from here to Delhi and they will be ferried to Jeddah the same evening," said Bihar Haj committee chairman Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi.

There are three categories for lodging facilities in Mecca and Medina: Azizia, white and green. While the total cost, including travel expenses, for each pilgrim opting for Azizia will be Rs 1.05 lakh, for white it will be Rs 1.15 lakh and for green it will be Rs 1.25 lakh.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiati...ims-haj-bhavan