By Innovation-sa on July 25, 2019 in News
Saudi Arabia lifts travel restrictions on Umrah and Ziyarah (visit of Prophet’s Mosque) pilgrims which forbade them from moving outside Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. The new Cabinet decision will allow millions of pilgrims arriving on Umrah visa to travel to any city across the Kingdom with ease.
Nearly 8 million Muslims performed Umrah this year and some two million pilgrims will arrive for performing Hajj from all over the world. Granting them permission to travel across the country will enable them to enjoy a broader experience of the Kingdom by visiting key landmarks, historic sites, tourist attractions and shopping centers, as well as boost tourism and uplift the Saudi economy.
Dr. Amr Al-Maddah, chief planning and strategy officer at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said, “Pilgrims will be allowed to arrive at any port in the country which will facilitate their arrival and expand the capacity to receive more pilgrims.” The decision will help towards achieving Saudi Arabia’s dream of receiving 30 million Umrah pilgrims by 2030.
Earlier, pilgrims were allowed to convert their visas to tourist visa provided that they were registered with a tourism program. This is no longer a requirement. Pilgrims can plan their visit to Saudi cities, tourist destinations, historic places, festivals and events, within the period of their visa validity.
Arab News – 16 July 2019