JEDDAH: The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah is launching the Smart Pilgrim app this year to further utilize technology in its services.
The app allows pilgrims to communicate with their service providers and report any violations to the ministry, which has pledged to handle the remarks and complaints without delay or leniency towards any violating Hajj service providers.
Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah for Hajj and Umrah Services Hisham Saeed said that the upcoming Hajj season will witness an expansion in the Hajj smart card services, in addition to launching three basic apps to better serve pilgrims.
Saeed, who is also the ministry’s spokesman, told a local TV channel that its technical plans would add to the experience of this year’s pilgrims.
“The Hajj and Umrah Ministry has a call center that receives the pilgrims’ inquiries, complaints, and suggestions round the clock. In addition, a pilgrim can download the smart pilgrim app, which has many services, to his or her smartphone and chat with their Hajj service provider to report any violation or file a complaint,” he said.
He added that if the issue is not solved in a timely manner, the complaint will automatically be redirected to the operation center at the Hajj and Umrah Ministry, which will immediately task a team to go to the place of the violation and take corrective measures.
The move comes after the 21st Scientific Forum for Hajj, Umrah, Visit Research was inaugurated in Madinah last month, focusing on the digital transformation in the Hajj, Umrah and Visit System.
The forum explored three main issues: the governance of digital transformation in the Hajj and Umrah system, applying digital transformation to improve the services provided to pilgrims and visitors to the two holy cities and developing decision-making processes to support services.
