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...
Global Digital Marketing Summit: Tourism being driven by technology
Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett credits technology with the record number of tourists that arrived in the island last year. Speaking at the recent Global Digital Marketing Summit, that had its main conference room at the Courtleigh Auditorium in New Kingston, Barlett also dismissed claims that Jamaica’s fortune was as a result of the damage to other small islands by hurricanes. According...
Why 2018 Is The Year To Visit Egypt
By Allison DiLiegro for Fathom | Egypt had been at the top of my list since seventh-grade history class. To me, the Cradle of Civilization was a graduate-level travel locale, the grandest stop on a Grand Tour. So in January 2018, when I heard tourists were going back after a lull in political unrest, I booked a flight for the spring. The Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis.PHOTO BY...
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...
How travel agencies are adapting to technology, focusing on their strengths
Becky Smith spent her days at numerous schools in the area answering all sorts of questions about travels from other teachers. And after spending 17 years as a high school and middle school band director, she realized she had planned quite a few band trips and even some other trips for her own family. Eventually, she thought she might as well be getting paid for it. She took the...
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...
Amazon Wades Into Travel and 9 Other Digital Trends This Week
Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines digital trends. For all of our weekend roundups The next big questions hoteliers might soon be asking themselves: “Alexa, how do I make sure you recommend my hotels when they ask you where they want to stay?” Or, on the flip...
Indonesia aims for top spot in 2019 Global Muslim Travel Index
Tourism Minister Arief Yahya is seeking to push Indonesia to the top of the 2019 Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI), tempo.co reported on Tuesday. The world’s halal destinations listed in the 2018 Global Muslim Travel Index ranked Indonesia second, after Malaysia. The archipelago stood at third place the year before, after Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. The GMTI, which was introduced...
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...
