Egypt’s Tourism Minister Inspects Pilgrims’ Camps in Saudi Arabia

In a proactive move to support Egyptian pilgrims, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Sherif Fathy, conducted a field visit today to the camps of Egyptian tourism pilgrims in Arafat, Saudi Arabia.

The purpose of the visit was to ensure that all pilgrims are receiving the full range of services and enjoying the highest levels of comfort during their Hajj journey.

During the visit, Minister Fathy inspected facilities and met with pilgrims to personally verify that services aligned with expectations set by the ministry and travel agencies.

He emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards of care, particularly in light of extreme temperatures across the holy sites this year.

Following the on-site inspection, the minister held a remote video meeting via Google Meet with members of the official tourism Hajj delegation.

This digital monitoring approach is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to integrate modern technology into the management of the Hajj season. It allows for real-time, live supervision by all committee members, ensuring swift response to issues and continuous service delivery.

The remote system facilitates direct oversight of the daily operations conducted by the 13 field committees formed as part of the official tourism mission. These teams are deployed across camps housing more than 40,672 Egyptian pilgrims to check on their well-being and ensure full compliance by tourism companies with agreed Hajj programs.

Minister Fathy praised the efforts of the mission teams, particularly their dedication to staying active throughout the day in challenging weather conditions. He urged all teams to continue intensive on-site presence and remain alert to any emergencies or complaints. The goal, he stressed, is to offer a safe, seamless, and exemplary Hajj experience that reflects the strength and reliability of Egypt’s tourism Hajj system.

Samia Sami, a senior official at the ministry, confirmed that a central operations room has also been established in both Arafat and Mina to supervise the delivery of services by tourism agencies and to monitor the performance of rituals in an organized and timely manner.