Travel Agencies were prohibited from organizing Umrah Pilgrimages

Starting from October 5 of this year, Umrah tour companies will no longer be able to operate under their current licenses. This information was provided by the Committee on Religious Affairs.

It was reported that after this date, all activities related to the organization and provision of Umrah services will be considered illegal. Legal entities found in violation of the licensing requirements will face fines amounting to 200 times the base calculation value (BHM), which equates to 68 million sums.

In this context, some tourism businesses have failed to meet the promises made in their advertisements for Umrah trips. Common issues include problems with accommodation upon arrival and frequent delays in the scheduled flights for pilgrims.

For reference, this regulation is reinforced by the law "On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Documents of the Republic of Uzbekistan," which was adopted on July 2, 2024. However, the Religious Affairs Committee, which is now the licensing authority for this field, has yet to clarify the procedures for obtaining a license.

It is worth noting that tour operators had been previously informed about the upcoming changes to the requirements for organizing Umrah pilgrimages.