Riyadh : Saudi Arabia has approved major amendments to the Foreign Pilgrim Service Providers Law, abolishing the long-standing tawafa bodies and replacing them with a new system of Haj hospitality companies.

Under the changes, approved by the Council of Ministers, 21 articles of the existing law have been amended and a new article (19 bis) added, restructuring the sector and redefining service responsibilities, Arabic daily Okaz reported.

Key classifications

The amended law establishes four categories of licensed Haj hospitality companies:

Companies serving pilgrims in Makkah and the holy sites

Companies providing water to pilgrims in their residences within Makkah

Companies responsible for receiving and transporting pilgrims at the Kingdom’s entry points and managing their return

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