The Hajj Tour Operators Association of Sri Lanka (HTOASL) yesterday warned thousands of Hajj pilgrims in Sri Lanka to be watchful in dealing with large sums of money for pilgrimage bookings from bogus travel agents.
The HTOASL organising a special press briefing announced yesterday that the preparations for the next Hajj pilgrimage season in May 2026 has to be done well in advance as per the rules put forward by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
President HTOASL A. C. B. M. Careem said the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Muslim Religious Affairs, under which the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs operates, has held discussions with them to formulate a comprehensive work plan for Hajj 2026.
He asked never to hand over one’s passport or make any payments to travel agents or Hajj operators who are not officially approved by the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, the President warned.
“In Sri Lanka, certain middlemen or sub-agents are marketing Hajj packages without proper authorisation. Pilgrims are strongly advised not to fall victim to fake operators. If you have any doubts, contact the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs for verification,” Careem said.
“We wish to inform the public and the keen pilgrims that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has already commenced its work plan for the pilgrimage, which is scheduled to begin from May 5th, 2026,” he said.
The Hajj Committee has provided important recommendations regarding the preparations for the 2026 pilgrimage during discussions with the Ministry, and the HTOASL thanked the latter for facilitating all the necessary requirements during this year’s season, which was concluded in June.
The Government of Saudi Arabia has advised the Sri Lanka Hajj Mission to complete arrangements for selecting and securing zones in Mina, as well as appointing service providers, on or before August 23rd, 2025. This will ensure that designated zones and tents in Mina are reserved through the approved service providers.
All payments for these zones and service providers ought to be made by 23 August and should be transferred through licensed tour operators. The HTOASL, together with the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, is making the necessary arrangements to transfer these funds through a local bank.
By November 2025, all approved Hajj operators must finalise hotel reservations in both Makkah and Madinah and book transportation services for the Hajj programme.
The Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs has not yet selected or licensed any Hajj operators for 2026. The official list of approved operators will be announced and published in the media shortly.
Those intending to perform Hajj in 2026 must register their name and other required details via the Department of Muslim Religious Affairs website. After obtaining a reference number through the registered telephone number, a payment of Rs.5, 000 must be made to confirm your spot for the pilgrimage.
All registered pilgrims will be informed by the Department to deposit an initial amount of Rs.900, 000 into their own bank account and keep it ready until a Hajj operator is selected.
