Saudi Red Crescent readies for Hajj with 2,631 staff and 105 emergency centers
The Saudi Red Crescent Authority is intensifying its preparation efforts for the coming Hajj season, the Saudi Press agency reported Monday. The organization will offer emergency services for pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and all roads leading to the city, as well as other sacred sites during pilgrimage. It will also be serving guests of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Around 2,631...
E-service launched to provide temporary jobs during Hajj
The Ministry of Labor and Social Development has launched an electronic service to provide temporary work during this Hajj season via the Ajeer portal, which is for companies offering Hajj services and those who wish to work during the Hajj season, as well as documenting the contractual relationship between them. The move by the ministry is to provide an electronic market that shows the...
How technology will change the way you perform Hajj by 2030
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has released a video giving a sneak peek into how technology will change the way we perform Hajj and Umrah by 2030. The video shows that in the future, every person going for Hajj or Umrah will be given a digital ID card along with an electronic bracelet and an earpiece. Simply swiping the ID card at the airport will get pilgrims through Customs....
The first Hajj Hackathon is kicking off next month in Saudi Arabia, and the prizes are PHENOMENAL!
The Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones, in partnership with Google and Egypt’s RiseUp is hosting the largest tech challenge to be ever held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – The Hajj Hackathon. The 36-hour hackathon Hajj Hackathon will be held next month in Jeddah from August 1st to 3rd. It is open to tech entrepreneurs, designers, developers, and innovators from all...
Malaysian, Indonesian Haj pilgrims to benefit from immigration pre-clearance
All pilgrims from Malaysia and a section of pilgrims from Indonesia will have immigration pre-clearance facility from their embarkation points for the upcoming Haj. The Proof of Concept (POC) System for pre-clearance at the point of departure to Saudi Arabia is being implemented in coordination with the Saudi, Malaysian and Indonesian authorities. The uniform electronic path service dubbed...
Prince Khaled forms panel to improve Umrah services
Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, adviser to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman, has ordered the formation of a high-level committee to address the observations made by individuals and organizations about Umrah services during Ramadan. The committee will be chaired by Deputy Emir of Makkah Prince Abdullah Bin Bandar, and will have representatives from the Makkah Development...
Travelling for haj or umrah? Saudi has issued health requirements for you
With the haj season starting soon, the Saudi Ministry of Health has issued important health directives for this year. Health requirements and recommendations for travelers to Saudi Arabia for haj and umrah focus on communicable diseases like Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Zika virus, dengue, yellow fever, meningitis and seasonal influenza. INFLUENZA The Ministry of...
Chinese company starts testing Mecca Light Rail for upcoming Hajj pilgrimage
China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) started on Wednesday the testing of the Mecca Light Rail in preparation for Hajj pilgrimage in August when millions of pilgrims will head to the holiest city in Islam. CRCC, which was in charge of the construction of Mecca Light Rail, gained again the operation contract worth 350 million Saudi Arabian rials (93 million U.S. dollars) in...
Saudi visa will attract more Indonesians if integrated with umrah – halal travel experts
JAKARTA – Saudi Arabia’s plan to issue tourist visas this year will not increase the number of Indonesian visitors to the kingdom unless they are integrated with the umrah, say Indonesia’s hajj, umrah and halal travel experts. “For most Indonesian Muslims, they will not visit Mecca and Medina for anything else except for the religious pilgrimage,” Syam Resfiadi, chairman of industry...
