Latest news with #MohammadSalmanArain
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
AI Umrah assistant to cut costs, enhance experience for Pakistan's 2 million annual pilgrims
ISLAMABAD: A Saudi-backed consortium has launched what it says is the world's first artificial intelligence-powered Umrah advisor, 'Ibraheem,' aimed at simplifying pilgrimage planning and reducing costs for millions of Muslims, including more than two million Pakistanis who travel to the Kingdom each year. Ibraheem has been developed by Pakistani company Umrah Companions and is powered by Funadiq, a Saudi-based Destination Management Company specializing in Hajj and Umrah services. The tool was launched last week and is designed to offer pilgrims personalized guidance in multiple languages, including Urdu and Roman Urdu, with the goal of cutting Umrah-related expenses by as much as 20 percent. Pakistan is among the world's largest pilgrimage markets, with over $5 billion spent annually by citizens traveling for Umrah and Hajj. 'Today, 93% of global Muslims cannot afford Hajj and Umrah. It is too expensive,' said Mohammad Salman Arain, CEO of Umrah Companions, in an interview with Arab News. 'It is becoming expensive because we are not removing the inefficiencies in the processes — and that is what our mission is.' Pakistanis often face language barriers, lack of personalized travel information, and high costs when arranging Umrah trips through human agents, many of whom offer fixed packages with little customization. Arain said the AI assistant overcomes these issues by adapting to each user's needs, whether they are traveling with elderly parents, young children, or have budget constraints. The platform currently supports ten languages, including Urdu, Roman Urdu, Arabic and English, and provides real-time recommendations on flights, hotels, food, weather, medical facilities and even services such as wheelchair availability near the Haram in Makkah. 'You can start with a very simple question: 'I want to travel in August. Give me an estimated budget for four people,'' Arain said. 'Ibraheem will then suggest premium or budget options, tell you whether hotels are suitable for elderly companions, and help build your itinerary.' The tool's language offerings and its flexibility for use on smartphones and low-bandwidth environments make it particularly suitable for Pakistani blue- and white-collar workers living in the Gulf, a group that often lacks access to transparent and user-friendly tech tools for pilgrimage planning. 'We are building to make everybody's life easier. It is not for us only,' Arain added. 'This is available for everyone and every single Muslim in the world.' Umrah Companions is also working on outreach to Pakistani freelancers and overseas workers through diplomatic missions, Pakistani banks, and diaspora associations, especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, where a majority of Pakistani pilgrims are based. While the service is focused on Umrah for now, Arain said it was already learning and being trained for Hajj season. Once a pilgrim arrives in the Kingdom, the AI agent continues to provide support, from locating wheelchairs at Haram gates to suggesting restaurants and responding to emergencies, the chief executive explained. The tool has already contributed to a 25% increase in website traffic, according to Arain, and is currently being built as an open platform available for use by all Muslims, regardless of which company they book their pilgrimage through. The launch of the AI platform also aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 goal to improve the pilgrimage experience through digital transformation and accessibility. Arain said the initiative complements the Kingdom's efforts to modernize religious tourism and ensure cost-effective pilgrimage options for lower-income Muslims. 'We believe this is going to revolutionize [pilgrimage],' Arain said, 'and it is very much in line with what the Saudi Vision 2030 is doing to enhance the pilgrimage experience.'
Arab News
2 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi consortium launches $50 million fund to ease pilgrimage costs for Pakistanis — CEO
KARACHI: A Saudi-based consortium of travel and hospitality companies has launched a $50 million fund to reduce the cost of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages for Pakistani travelers by as early as September, the group's chief executive said on Monday. The consortium includes online Umrah booking platform Emaar Al Diyafa Group of hotels, Skyline Travel Company and other firms operating in Makkah. Its stated goal is to modernize the infrastructure and operations of Pakistani travel agencies to help them meet Saudi regulatory standards and better serve pilgrims. The consortium's CEO Mohammad Salman Arain told Arab News the main objective behind setting up the fund is to upgrade travel agencies' infrastructure and operations in every major Pakistani city. He said the fund is expected to lower Hajj costs by 20 percent and Umrah costs by 25 percent for Pakistani pilgrims. 'On average, [Umrah for one person] is Rs300,000 ($1,054) and we expect that by September, a small travel agent would be able to offer it to his customers at Rs240,000 ($844) to Rs250,000 ($879),' Arain said in a telephone interview on Monday. Arain attributed the current high costs to inefficiencies in the way many Pakistani travel agents operate: 'Once we help them operate better then Umrah will become cheaper for our pilgrims.' His company, Umrah Companions, also launched what it calls the world's first AI-powered Umrah agent this month, designed to help digitally savvy pilgrims customize their travel packages based on cost and convenience. The consortium will also help Pakistani Hajj organizers adapt to Saudi Arabia's evolving regulations. 'This should make Hajj better organized and cheaper as well,' Arain said. In a separate statement, said over 2 million Pakistanis travel to Saudi Arabia each year for pilgrimage and spend more than $5 billion annually, making Pakistan one of the world's largest pilgrimage markets. 'Yet despite these numbers, the sector continues to suffer from poor management,' the company said. 'More than 67,000 pilgrims missed Hajj this year alone.' That figure refers to a large portion of Pakistan's private Hajj quota that went unutilized this year due to reported delays by travel companies in completing payment and registration requirements, according to Private operators have blamed the shortfall on technical glitches, payment delays, and poor coordination between service providers. Pakistan's government fulfilled its full allocation of over 88,000 pilgrims. The Saudi consortium's investment will be used for technology upgrades, staff training, and process improvements in small- and medium-sized travel agencies. These improvements could make the booking process 50 percent faster, said. 'We are stepping in to help change that, working closely with the government, airlines, and private sector partners,' the company added.
