The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities has announced sanctions against 66 travel agencies for violations discovered during the last Umrah season, as part of efforts to strengthen oversight of the sector and protect pilgrims.
Minister Sherif Fathy announced this at a press conference held at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization.
According to the authorities, these measures follow inspections conducted on operators responsible for organising the lesser pilgrimage to the holy sites in Saudi Arabia.
The ministry stated that the main violations included altering travel itineraries without informing pilgrims beforehand, failing to report travellers who missed their return dates, operating without a registered office, and irregularities related to issuing the mandatory barcode on the Egyptian Umrah Portal.
This digital system is used to authenticate authorised trips and combat illegal offerings.
Sanctions vary depending on the severity of the violations.
Eight agencies had their operating licenses permanently revoked, while two agencies were suspended from organising Umrah pilgrimages for one year.
Another received a six-month suspension, three agencies were suspended for two months, and 39 agencies for one month.
Other establishments were subject to additional administrative sanctions.
Minister Sherif Fathy indicated that his department is continuing to strengthen digital control tools to improve transparency in the sector.
“Any transgression will be dealt with firmly to preserve the reputation of the Egyptian tourism sector,” he stated, emphasising the authorities’ commitment to ensuring compliance with the obligations imposed on licensed agencies.
The Egyptian Umrah Portal is now the central instrument for regulating the market. It allows for the validation of travel programs, connects agencies with the relevant authorities, and protects pilgrims’ rights by limiting the activities of unauthorised intermediaries.
The regulations notably require agencies to respect contractual commitments, inform the authorities of any program changes, monitor travellers’ return, and issue an official barcode guaranteeing the trip’s compliance.
MK/AK/Sf/fss/as/APA