Follow-up – Al-Rasheed
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, issued a number of decisions related to the death of a large number of Egyptians during the last Hajj season after traveling illegally.
The Egyptian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities has cancelled the licenses of 36 tourism companies that were proven to have violated the provisions of the laws regulating the implementation of Hajj and Umrah trips, as they had illegally transported citizens to perform the Hajj rituals during this season using visit visas whose holders were not authorized to perform Hajj, which is considered a violation of the controls and procedures in effect in both the Arab Republic of Egypt and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
According to the Sada El-Balad news website: This comes in implementation of the decisions of the Hajj Crisis Cell meeting, which was formed by the President of the Republic, and which is held under the chairmanship of Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Prime Minister, to follow up and manage the special situation of Egyptian pilgrims’ deaths during the Hajj season of 1445, and within the framework of the supervisory, regulatory and supervisory role of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
For her part, Samia Sami, Head of the Central Administration of Tourism Companies, indicated that the Minister issued urgent assignments to the Central Administration of Tourism Companies at the Ministry to quickly complete all investigations with all companies proven to have committed violations during the Hajj and Umrah seasons this year, and to take the necessary legal measures, which would rectify matters and ensure that all companies comply with the laws and decisions regulating their activities.
It is worth noting that the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has repeatedly called on all licensed tourism companies to adhere to the laws, and urged citizens not to book any Hajj tourism trips except through licensed tourism companies and with Hajj visas, and not to deal with any unlicensed entities that organize Hajj or Umrah trips, and stressed that Hajj rituals will not be allowed to be performed except for those who hold a visa designated for that purpose, and not through a visit visa.
