Umrah: Saudi Arabia removes restriction on pilgrims

Jeddah: Saudi Arabia removed a major restriction on millions of Umrah pilgrims who visit Makkah and Madinah every year.

According to the report published in Arab News, they will now be able to visit any place in the Kingdom.

Saudi cabinet made this decision on Tuesday in order to boost tourism and the economy. The decision was announced by the acting Media Minister, Issam bin Saeed.

It may be mentioned that earlier, the pilgrims were not allowed to travel outside Makkah, Madina and Jeddah.

After the removal of the restriction, the pilgrims will be able to visit historical, cultural and tourist sites, shopping centers, etc.

It is hoped that this decision will increase the number of Umrah pilgrims. It is expected that by 2030, nearly 30 million pilgrims will visit the country.

It may be noted that earlier, pilgrims had a facility to convert their visa into a tourist visa. Now, the need to convert the visa is removed.