The CEO of the Council of British Hajjis, Rashid Mogradia, is pictured in front of the Nusuk pavilion at the Hajj Expo 2023 in Jeddah. (Supplied)

ZAYNAB KHOJJI

January 13, 2023

• “Nusuk is set to have a dedicated online Hajj portal for international pilgrims very soon, allowing people to select and book packages directly,” Mogradia said

LONDON: The huge digital transformation sweeping all levels of the Hajj and Umrah sector in Saudi Arabia will streamline the delivery of services and enhance pilgrims’ experiences, the CEO of the Council of British Hajjis said on Thursday.  

Speaking from the Hajj Expo 2023 in Jeddah, Rashid Mogradia said it was “great to see the ambition of service providers working hard to create products and services which enhance pilgrim experiences.”

Plans to launch a free smart card to make Hajj easier for pilgrims were unveiled at the expo on Tuesday. 

The card will contain a pilgrim’s personal information and will be linked to an electronic application.

The development of the card follows an agreement between the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the General Authority of Awqaf.

Mogradia said it was great “meeting with our partners and connecting with new ones” at the expo.

The CEO said Nusuk’s interactive pavilion was particularly impressive. 

Nusuk is the official planning and booking platform for Umrah pilgrimages launched by Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah last year.

With Nusuk, pilgrims from around the world can easily organize an entire visit, from applying for an eVisa to booking hotels and flights.

“Nusuk is set to have a dedicated online Hajj portal for international pilgrims very soon, allowing people to select and book packages directly. Expect to hear more in the coming days and weeks,” Mogradia said.

He also visited the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques’ pavilion where there was a corner demonstrating how the kiswa (covering) of the Kaaba was made. 

“It was fascinating to see how the kiswa was made and museum artifacts from the past being exhibited at the expo,” he said.

He welcomed Al-Rabiah’s announcement that the Hajj Ministry is developing over 20 exhibitions to document the life of the Prophet Muhammad to enrich the journey of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims. 

“Such experiences will truly add value to the visits of any Hajj and Umrah pilgrim, and I would strongly recommend that they visit these exhibitions — and museums that are already open — in order to learn more about historical sites and the experiences of pilgrims who came before them,” Mogradia said. 

source https://www.arabnews.com/node/2231851/saudi-arabia