JAKARTA – The Ministry of Religion has reopened the Umrah pilgrimage starting January 8, 2022. Along with that, PT Arsy Buana Travelindo (ABT Travel), a Hajj and Umrah support service company, continues to finalize preparations to welcome Umrah pilgrims from Indonesia in the Holy Land of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
As the initiator of the Join Umrah Community (JUC) program, ABT Travel has signed contracts with several new hotels in Mecca and Medina, which can be used by Indonesian Umrah pilgrims.
In addition, JUC and the Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (Amphuri) agreed to use the Fajr Bade 2 Hotel managed by ABT Travel for an economical Umrah package. This was conveyed by the President Director of ABT Travel, Saipul Bahri.
"Alhamdulillah, we have signed contracts with several hotels in Mecca and Medina. God willing, these hotels can be used for the 1443 Hijri Umrah pilgrims soon," said Saipul, Tuesday (11/1/2022).
Previously, on December 30, 2021, a total of 53 Umrah pilgrims had departed for Saudi Arabia. They are the leaders of special Umrah and Hajj travel organizers (PPIU/PIHK) who are members of Amphuri.
This group became the first Umrah group that departed from Indonesia. In addition to worshiping Umrah, this group is tasked with testing the Umrah travel system in the new normal period.
This first Umrah lasts for 13 days. The pilgrims used the airline SV Saudia. Upon arrival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, pilgrims are quarantined for four nights and five days at the hotel. After the quarantine is complete, the congregation can continue their worship journey to Medina for three nights at the Nokhba Royal Inn hotel and in Mecca for four nights at the Marwa Rotana hotel.
Towards the end of the first Umrah period, the signing of the hotel contract by ABT Travel, according to Saipul, was a breath of fresh air for PPIUs and prospective pilgrims in Indonesia.
“We continue to prepare, so that we can provide the best service for the congregation. We are committed to ensuring the comfort and safety of pilgrims during Umrah. One of them is by providing representative hotel accommodations," he explained.
He said that his party also agreed that the Fajr Bade 2 hotel would be used by congregations who use the economy package.
Hajj and Umrah support services business includes lodging (hotels), airline tickets, and land arrangement (LA) services for all Hajj and Umrah needs in Mecca. Currently, ABT Travel manages several hotels in Mecca and Medina which are in strategic locations, including Le Meridien, Elaf Mashaer, Fajr Badee, Mawadah Sofwa, and Sham Province. The total available rooms reach 889 per month.
In the ticket business, ABT Travel cooperates with Citilink and Etihad. As for LA, ABT has five years of experience and has a strong local network, including its facilities. Several big names in the PIHK and PPIU sectors, he said, have become partners of ABT Travel. Call it Madinah Iman Wisata, Sarana Umrah Haji, Satriani, Bastour, El Amien Tours, Forum Travel Partner Indonesia, Al Razafa Group, and Paksi Tours and Travel. (*)
