JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced the suspension of contracts with 1,800 foreign travel agencies operating in the Umrah sector, out of approximately 5,800, giving them 10 days to rectify their status.
The decision follows the results of a periodic evaluation that revealed performance shortcomings and poor service quality among these agencies, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.
The ministry stated that the suspension applies only to the issuance of new visas and is part of a regulatory approach to help agencies address classification issues and improve compliance with approved standards.
Contracts will be reactivated once the requirements are met within the grace period, according to the ministry.
The ministry confirmed that Umrah performers holding valid visas or existing reservations will not be affected, as services to them will continue unchanged.
