LONDON: Major Haj associations in the UK and the City of London Police have warned British pilgrims about fraudulent tour operators offering packages to Saudi Arabia, despite an 86 percent drop in year-on-year reporting of cases.
“Haj fraud” typically involves the sale of non-existent packages, while there have been many reports of dodgy travel agents delivering substandard accommodation, as well as other infringements.
The problem has gained significant attention in the UK but it is not specific to one country, with reports of cases from Nigeria, Indonesia and beyond.
With this year’s Haj season starting in late August, the Council of British Hajis (CBHUK) told Arab News that the scale of fraudulent Haj tour operators in the UK is not reflected in the numbers showing a steep decline in people reporting mis-sold trips.
Rashid Mogradia, CBHUK CEO and founder, said the low number of fraud cases being reported stems from “reprisals and threats by unscrupulous agents (and) an element of embarrassment from victims.”
He emphasized the need for UK pilgrims to check that the travel operators they use are registered with the Air Travel Organizer’s Licence (ATOL) scheme.
“There’s still a lot of work to do in educating travelers and pilgrims alike. People don’t often carry out due diligence on a company,” he said.
“We’re seeing more and more companies advertising packages without the correct Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah approval or ATOL licenses. Trading Standards are clamping down on this. CBHUK advises all pilgrims to book only with companies approved by the Saudi Ministry of Haj and Umrah, and that hold a valid ATOL license.”
According to a November 2016 CBHUK survey, 47 percent of respondents said they had not checked to see if their Haj tour operator was ATOL-approved, with a further 29 percent not knowing what “ATOL-approved” means.
But there are signs of improvement. Khalid Pervez, general-secretary of the Association of British Hujjaj, told Arab News: “In recent years we’ve had an extensive campaign to address the issue of exploitation of vulnerable Haj pilgrims, and are pleased that with the help of the law-enforcement authorities in the UK, we’ve managed to improve the worsening situation of fraudulent activities by rogue and unscrupulous tour and travel operators.”
The association believes that its “message is getting across to the community to use the services of only ATOL-registered tour and travel operators,” but that there are still cases where even operators with an ATOL license are violating UK law.
The cost of trips to Makkah can be significant during the Haj season. Easy Haj, a UK ATOL-approved company that is rated the No. 1 tour operator on Hajratings.com, said its standard package costs £3,777 ($4,884) per person for a Haj trip.
More expensive, “luxury” packages are available from other operators, although Easy Haj said these do not offer a great deal more than the basic package.
For those still trying to travel for Haj 2017, the City of London Police urges travelers to do their research.
“Don’t book without carrying out some basic check on your travel agency/tour operator,” it said in a statement, referring to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).
“Go online to see if other people have commented on their services and ensure the company is a member of ABTA.”
Perils can await those who do not follow the guidelines, such as one family (whose members wish to remain anonymous) that in 2016 booked a room for four but experienced a very different Haj trip to what they had planned.
“Once we arrived in Makkah, the men and women were separated. Me and my uncle were in a room of seven people with one bathroom; my mum and wife were in a room of six women. After speaking to one of the directors of the company who was present at the hotel, he denied any arrangements that we had with our agent and asked us to get in touch with him,” said a family member.
“The hotel was in a very poor state; the service provided during the two weeks was below expectation and every time we complained about an issue, we were told to walk away and nothing can be done,” he added.
“Our last three days we spent in Madinah. Again we were promised a family room of four, but men and women were separated. We had a room of four while the ladies had a room of six. We had one bathroom that was shared between eight people,” he said.
“We, as Muslims, are advised to be very patient and stay calm during the (Haj) journey, which may be the reason why when people return, they just take this deceit as the norm, but this is fraud on a huge scale. There were a number of arguments with the management by aggrieved travelers; these escalated to threats of physical violence,” he added.
“No doubt a few people I’ve met were very pleased with the service, but most people I speak to in the UK have a story, times where they saw fighting, arguments etc. Although some people may have been happy, they paid approximately £6,000 per person, so for a family of four it’s £24,000. This is a huge amount of money for most of the public, and people spend years saving that money.”
The fightback is ongoing in Birmingham, where a city council spokesperson told Arab News: “Trading Standards officers will visit traders/travel agents to see whether they’re complying with regulations. They’re also working on improving consumers’ awareness of the issue by liaising with local communities (e.g. by visiting mosques).”
The council believes the problem is improving: “From what we know, Haj and Umrah fraud has slightly declined locally and nationally. Consumers are more aware, and tend to check all the paperwork and so on when making their bookings.”
Birmingham City Council points to several high-profile cases that have been successfully convicted in their catchment area in the past year.
Haj fraud: Dodgy travel agents still pose risk to UK pilgrims
Haj fraud: Dodgy travel agents still pose risk to UK pilgrims
Saudi Arabia advocates for global cooperation to end hunger, ensure food security
- Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti says agriculure is agriculture is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development
- He was speaking at the A World Without Hunger” conference in Addis Ababa
RIYADH: The Kingdom sees agriculture as a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development and supporting economic growth, Saudi Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Mansour bin Hilal Al-Mushaiti said this week.
Al-Mushaiti led the Saudi delegation to the three-day “A World Without Hunger” conference that began on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
During his conference speech, Al-Mushaiti said that agriculture also played a key role in job creation and prosperity for local communities. This came through the strengthening of farmer support systems and the promotion of modern agricultural practices to increase production and improve efficiency, ultimately achieving food security.
“The significant progress made in science, innovation and modern technologies has contributed to addressing many urgent global food challenges,” Al-Mushaiti said. “However, the advancement achieved in enhancing food security remains insufficient. This underscores the crucial importance of intensifying global efforts and activating policies to develop practical and effective solutions.”
The deputy minister said that direct food aid and humanitarian relief efforts had played a key role in providing short-term solutions to food insecurity in many countries. He said that the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center had implemented about 900 food security projects in 78 countries worldwide, reflecting the Kingdom’s humanitarian role and support for peoples facing severe conditions.
Al-Mushaiti said that boosting investment in the agriculture and food sectors had become paramount to building a world free of hunger. This could be achieved through adopting innovation and modern farming techniques, as well as providing flexible financing solutions to increase production and build resilience in agricultural and food systems.
“The Kingdom welcomes agricultural investments in all fields and offers incentives and support for investors globally,” Al-Mushaaiti said. “We seek to expand agricultural investment in countries with competitive advantages, abundant natural resources and growing markets, to leverage integrated agricultural capabilities and create more job opportunities toward achieving food security.”
Al-Mushaaiti stressed the need to strengthen multilateral international cooperation and engagement with global organizations, in addition to promoting fair trade in line with WTO standards. This, he said, would contribute to building a world free of hunger, alongside other essential steps such as exchanging best agricultural practices and technologies, expanding access to innovative financing, and enhancing infrastructure and social safety net programs.
Al-Mushaiti said that the Kingdom had taken several steps in this direction. This included launching programs and initiatives such as the Sustainable Rural Agricultural Development Program, which contributed to increasing the income of small-scale farmers and improving their living standards, and the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority“Monsha’at” Authority to support micro, small and medium enterprises in the sector, through financing, training and job opportunities, and other ambitious projects and programs that worked to support the agricultural sector and activate its contribution to achieving food security.
The “A World Without Hunger” conference was organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the African Union Commission and the Ethiopian government, with the participation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, to discuss topics related to the agriculture, food production and technology sectors, as well as food security, finance, food safety, infrastructure and more.
Sudanese cultural festival begins at Suwaidi Park
RIYADH: A cultural festival at Suwaidi Park is inviting visitors to explore the rich heritage and traditions of Sudan.
Part of Riyadh Season, the event takes place until Nov. 17 and features Sudanese music, dancing, food and crafts.
Content creator Hamoud Waleed said cultural festivals played a key role in building connections and understanding.
“Events like this are very important because sometimes you can’t go to see their tradition and culture. But when these cultures come to us here … it lets us know more and more about other people, how they live, what their interests are, and how we can engage with them,” he said.
“When we talk about Sudanese culture, it’s beautiful and comes from a very old history and nice heritage, and when it comes to us, it lets us know more about it, and this is exactly what we are seeing here in Suwaidi Park.”
Sudanese nationals make up 6.1 percent of the Kingdom’s population, according to the Saudi Census, so such exhibitions are important in promoting mutual respect and harmony between communities.
Sudanese singer Youssef Khairy highlighted the diversity of his culture, explaining how sharing traditions strengthened bonds between different people.
“Music unites us all, regardless of colors, shapes, languages, religions, or ways of thinking,” he said. “I am here to represent Nubian music, Nubian heritage and the Nubian civilization.”
Live music and dance performances during the festival are bringing Sudanese heritage to life and offering audiences an authentic cultural experience.
Visitor Olaa Abdulnaaem said these, along with the lively atmosphere, and engaging children’s activities, were standout features for her.
Hiam Othman, a Sudanese attire designer, said the festival had significantly promoted her business. “Our products have been well-received, and they reflect our Sudanese culture,” she said.
Riyadh Season 2024 has already drawn 4 million visitors from around the world, according to Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority. He believes the surge in attendance reflects a growing appetite for cultural exploration and new experiences.
The festival is part of the Global Harmony initiative by the Ministry of Media and the General Entertainment Authority, which is aligned with the goals of the Quality of Life Program. The scheme celebrates the Kingdom’s multicultural landscape by highlighting the lives, contributions and cultural integration of its residents.
In the coming weeks, Global Harmony will celebrate a variety of cultures. After the Sudanese festival there will be a Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian event from Nov. 17-19, Bangladeshi from Nov. 20-23, and Egyptian from Nov. 24-30.
Launched on Oct. 17, the initiative began with music and dance honoring the culture of Indian expatriates.
KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.
KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.
The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.
Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.
KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan
RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.
Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.
Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.
Saudi agency KSrelief delivers food, hygiene kits in Syria
- The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has distributed food and hygiene kits to thousands of vulnerable people across Syria, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.
The agency’s volunteers delivered 750 food parcels and 750 hygiene kits in Al-Hasakah, Syria, benefiting 4,500 people.
Meanwhile 745 Syrian families, comprising 2,652 people, in Al-Dana, Idlib governorate, received food and hygiene kits.
The aid is a part of KSrelief’s projects to support earthquake-affected people in northern Syria.