Image credit: Saudi Press Agency /Website
In a bid to streamline pilgrim accommodations ahead of the upcoming Hajj season, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced that licenses for facilities in Makkah and Madinah will now be issued through a temporary hostel licensing service. This initiative has been developed in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing.
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All applicants must register via the Nusuk Masar platform to qualify for leasing accommodations to pilgrims. Licenses must be obtained through the Ministry of Tourism’s electronic system before the end of the contracting period on 13th Sha’ban 1447 AH. Hotels already operating with year-round licenses from the Ministry of Tourism are exempt, according to a report by the Saudi Press Agency.
The seasonal licensing mechanism is designed to elevate service quality, link accommodations to the Nusuk platform for coordinated bookings, and expand hospitality capacity during the peak Hajj period. It also ensures a safer and more organized pilgrim experience via the centralized licensing system available here.
Umrah duration averages just under two hours
Meanwhile, new data released by the General Authority for the Care of the Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque highlights increasing efficiency in pilgrimage movements. During Rabi’ Al Awwal 1447 AH, the average duration to complete Umrah reached 115 minutes.
The report also noted that 87 per cent of pilgrims performed Tawaf in the Mataf area, with the average Tawaf taking 46 minutes and Sa’i requiring 47 minutes. Pilgrims took 12 minutes to reach Mataf from the courtyards and 10 minutes to move to Al Mas’a.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing pilgrim mobility and ensuring rituals are performed with ease and comfort.
