Systrix IT Solutions

Leading Travel IT Solutions Company in Middle East

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking

You can Now Start Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has decided to open its borders to Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking from pilgrims worldwide. Saudi closed its borders some 18 months ago due to a coronavirus pandemic. It will initially allow 60,000 pilgrims to perform the pilgrimage each month, gradually increasing numbers to reach two million people a month. For Muslims, making the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the most essential journey they will ever take. And for the travel agents who help them get there, arranging their Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking involves a unique set of challenges.

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking: Saudi Aims to Attract Maximum Pilgrimage

The government of Saudi Arabia wants to attract a maximum number of pilgrimages through its vision 2030 the Government of Saudi Arabia wants to welcome the maximum possible number of Mutamers / pilgrims for Hajj and Umrah. In 2019, over 19 million pilgrims performed Umrah and over 2 million pilgrims performed Hajj. These numbers are set to increase in the future with the efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, in providing ease of access to Hajj and Umrah Services. Saudi Arabia recognises the following vaccines: Pfizer/BioNTech, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking

Prepare Yourself For Hajj and Umrah Travel Booking

Hajj and Umrah is an important journey for every pilgrim. By enabling smooth services and providing an enriched Umrah Travel booking experience, Travel Operators and Agents can service this journey. Systrix IT Solution offers enhanced products to help all Travel Agents, Consolidators, and B2B and B2C Travel Companies, all over the Middle East Region who wish to start their online Umrah Travel Booking Services this season.

For Hajj and Umrah booking there are basically two 2 types of Umrah Operator and External agents. The Ministry of Hajj & Umrah in Saudi Arabia is the sole authority for obtaining the license.

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking For Operators:

  • Every registered Travel Agent / Travel Company within Saudi Arabia must open a bank account with a Ministry-approved bank. It will create your IBAN Number for all booking purposes going forward.
  • This account is further used for all payment purposes through net banking and payment gateways.
  • Every Agent is provided with Google Authenticator access — This real-time passcode service enables the agent to authenticate the booking with an OTP

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking For External Agents:

  • External Agents also need to open a bank account with a Ministry-approved bank within Saudi Arabia or their local country. It will create your IBAN Number for all booking purposes going forward.
  • The bank account of External agents is tagged to their Umrah Operators under which they are registered.
  • External Agents have full control of the bank account without any dependency on the Umrah Operator.
  • Umrah Operator does not have any control of the bank account of the External Agent.
  • This provision is made only to successfully tag all transactions under the right Umrah Operator and External Agents.
  • Every Agent is provided with Google Authenticator access — This real-time passcode service enables the agent to authenticate the booking with an OTP

What Is The Booking Process For Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking?

The booking process has been made completely online and easy for all agents and travel operators:

  • Upon successful registration, as an Umrah Operator, External Agents make Hajj & Umrah bookings on any approved OTA / B2B booking platform.
  • UO & EA should register on the Umrah booking platform with their IBAN and all requisite details.
  • Search and select the services they wish to book and proceed to book
  • At the time of booking confirmation, the agent is required to authenticate the booking with the passcode from the Google Authenticator. (It is received on the registered mobile number and email) — this is linked to the IBAN number
  • Once the booking is authenticated and vouchered, the system will provide a BRN (Booking reference Number)

How can you start your own booking service for Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking?

If you are a registered Travel Agency within or outside Saudi Arabia, here are a few steps you need to follow to start your own booking platform for Umrah bookings

  • All registered Travel Agencies need to obtain approval to connect with the Maqam GDS (Central Reservation System) which is the sole GDS of all services required for Umrah
  • Every Travel Operator and Online Travel Agent must register their system on the Maqam website (https://maqam.gds.Hajj.gov.sa/)
  • Upon careful evaluation, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah will decide whether to provide access to the Maqam GDS
  • Once your application is approved, you need a Travel ERP Platform that provides the complete Umrah booking Software, which provides ready-to-deploy integrations with the GDS
  • Upon successful set-up of the Umrah Booking Platform, you can now announce your Umrah Booking Service
  • Umrah Operators and External Agents can register on your platform to successfully make Hajj and Umrah Booking

What Are The Different Types Of Services You Can Provide for Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking?

B2B Module For Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking: 

  • Hotel Booking: Travel agents can book a hotel from 850+ housing service providers available in the system. Upon successful booking, the travel agent uses the BRN to proceed with Visa booking on the Ministry Visa portal.
  • Transportation Booking: B2B Travel agents can also book Transportation for any Mutamer/ pilgrim. The transportation providers are available on any authorized OTA. They can generate the BRN number for Visa processing.

B2C Module For Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking:

When a Mutamer / Pilgrim is making the booking himself, there are 3 types of services, which he/she should book before proceeding with Visa Processing:

  • Hotel Booking: Works in a similar way as B2B Hotel booking. In this case, Mutamer is making the booking themselves to generate the BRN.
  • Transportation Booking: Mutamers / pilgrims can select the Transportation of their choice from all the available and approved providers on any Hajj & Umrah Booking platform.
  • Ground Services:  The service package for ground services like welcome at the hotel or any assistance are available for Mutamer’s to directly book on the B2C / OTA system. They can select the package of their choice and generate a BRN on successful booking.
  • E-Visa Application: The B2C system should be directly connected with the e-Visa system on the Ministry of Hajj & Umrah to automatically pass on the BRN with the Visa application of the Mutamer / Pilgrim.

Hajj And Umrah Travel Booking Easier With Us

Systrix IT Solution offers the most advanced Hajj & Umrah Travel Booking Software developed by Qtech Software. Connect Umrah offers a seamless booking experience across B2B and B2C booking solutions for all Umrah Operators and External Agents. Systrix is a leading travel agency software company providing comprehensive software solutions and IT services to travel companies, agents and agencies, and DMCs based in UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Egypt.

Our deep expertise in travel technology has enabled us to create one of the best travel software solutions in the industry. Our customers and partners attest to the capability and performance of our travel software solutions, which is visible through our long-standing associations and continuous growth.