Umrah Connect Int. unmasked
Following investigations of complaints of mismanagement in the local umrah industry, VOC News was alerted to two families, the Anthony’s and the Patel’s, who were left stranded only days before they were scheduled to perform the spiritual journey.
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Emir of Lafia urges NAHCON to reduce fares
The Emir of Lafia, Dr Isa Mustapha-Agwai, on Tuesday has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to reduce the fares for the 2018 Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
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Saudi developer Jabal Omar to close Umm Al Qura merger deal in 2018
RIYADH: Jabal Omar Development Co. , one of Saudi Arabia’s largest listed property developers, expects to finalize its merger deal with Umm Al Qura Development and Construction in 2018, a senior company executive said. The deal, announced in November, is key to strengthening Jabal Omar’s presence in the real estate market of the Muslim holy city of Makkah beyond its flagship
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Saudi Arabia's African roots traced to annual Hajj pilgrimage and British colonization
JEDDAH: An estimated 10 percent of the Saudi population is of African descent, living mainly in the Western Region, and particularly in Makkah. Their roots lie in the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the British colonization of Africa in the 19th century. For hundreds of years, pilgrims and oppressed Muslims from that continent traveled to Makkah and Madinah, and chose to make those
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Workshop for development of Historic Jeddah launched in Makkah
JEDDAH: Prince Abdullah bin Bandar, deputy emir of Makkah, on Wednesday launched a workshop for the development of the historical area of Jeddah. The workshop took place in cooperation with 21 bodies, including the province’s development agency; Jeddah Municipality; and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH). Its aim was to encourage owners of historic
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SAHUC releases Hajj volunteer applications
The South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) and the National General Council (NGC) have announced the opening of applications for Hajj and Medical Mission...
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Couple realises Hajj dream
The annual pilgrimage sees thousands of Muslims apply for accreditation each year and they are placed on a lengthy waiting list
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SAHUC negotiates reduced price for Hajj camps
Following extensive meetings with the Ministry of Hajj in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the South African Hajj and Umrah Council (SAHUC) has concluded the...
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Saudi Arabia's high-speed Haramain train to generate over 2,000 jobs, says official
MAKKAH: The Haramain rail project, or “Makkah-Madinah high-speed railway,” will create more than 2,000 jobs for Saudis, according to the former director general of the Haramain train, Dr. Bassam Gholman. Gholman said 12,000 passengers would be able to travel between Makkah and Madinah every hour, providing secure and comfortable transport for pilgrims and other users. It was
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New Jeddah airport receives ‘overwhelming response’ from F&B operators
Changi Airports Saudi Arabia (CASA), the management company of the new King Abdul Aziz International Airport (KAIA) in Jeddah, has received an overwhelming response in its call for proposals for food and beverage (F&B) concessions at the check-in hall of the new passenger terminal building.More than 80 representatives from over 30 renowned local and global brands attended the
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Makkah, Riyadh projects to add almost 30,000 rooms in Saudi hotel market
DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s focus on tourism as one avenue to diversify the Kingdom away from oil dependence is receiving a boost with a slew of hotel projects now under construction. Industry monitor STR, in its latest update on the Middle East and Africa hotel sector, said that projects now being undertaken in Makkah and Riyadh would add almost 30,000 rooms to the current supply.
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Holy sites impress guests from former Soviet republics
JEDDAH: Two hundred people from Russia and former Soviet republics visited the King Abdul Aziz Complex for the Kaaba Kiswa on Tuesday as guests of the King Salman Program for Umrah, the Saudi Press Agency said. The guests represented the 11th batch of the program and came from Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, and Belarus.
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