The newly-introduced automated Umrah system is expected to create business exceeding SR20 billion, and create thousands of jobs for young Saudis, Abdul Aziz Damanhouri, director of Umrah services at the Ministry of Haj, said in a statement to local media.
He explained that the new system, which falls within the ministry’s overall e-applications, will open up avenues for service firms and create thousands of jobs for Saudi youngsters in all sectors, including tourism, hospitality industry and e-services.
The system is event-based and processes real-time data as it is linked electronically with local and global private and government sectors, he said.
The automated system will result in a number of benefits, notably controlling entry measures of Umrah performers, reduction in delays, abolishing the problem of sleeping in the courtyards of the Grand Mosque and development of Umrah performer’s services electronically, he said.
All transactions and measures of Umrah pilgrims will be carried out in a paperless and fully-automated environment that will, in the long run, create a powerful national sector capable of serving pilgrims with due efficiency, quality and credibility, he said.
Damanhouri said the system processes Umrah visa applications, e-payments, automatic entry-exit data and is linked with the National Information Center.
New Umrah system to create jobs
