The Chairman of Raudah Travels Alh Umar Abdulhadi said the 2024 hajj witnessed an improvement in the areas of Tent space in the Tent D category, feeding of pilgrims and abundant water supply compared to what happens in 2023.
Abdulhadi, while commending NAHCON and the Saudi Service provider Ithraa Alkhair for improving services in Mina, suggested that intending pilgrims should be ready to pay early to avoid operational challenges in the forthcoming hajj exercise.
Speaking to Hajj Reporters, the award-winning tour operator who also operates offices in Niger Mali Burkina Faso Togo and Benin said the 2024 hajj exercise is successful in critical areas in Mina except for the challenges of Spaces in Tent A.
On how to avoid a repeat of what happened in Tent A, Abdulahid said early payment of hajj packages by intending pilgrims will solve the problem of shortages of services during hajj.
“For example, Saudi Arabia has a deadline for booking Tent A and you can only book Tent A by payment to your service providers as at when due. Tent A has a very limited space and elites from hajj participating countries do stay in that place in Mina. So, it is difficult to secure space if we can’t make the payment on time.
Secondly, some VIP pilgrims who want Tent A don’t make payment in time. Someone will call you very close to the commencement of the airlift and say I need 10 bookings for Tent A. Despite the short time, he will not back up the order with the payment, so how do you get such services easily? He said.
Umar Abdulhadi also appealed to the Hajj Commission to put in more effort by ensuring prompt crediting of Tour Operators’ IBAN accounts in Saudi Arabia to minimize the loss being incurred by Tour Operators.
“NAHCON are trying their best but we need to find solutions to the yearly problems of delay in making payment via IBAN account. I am optimistic that once pilgrims make payment early and such money is reflected in our IBAN account promptly, the Saudi-based service providers will ensure that we get our services.
