Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has suspended contracts with 1,800 foreign travel agencies involved in the Umrah pilgrimage sector. The move came after a performance review revealed serious service quality and compliance issues. Around one-third of the 5,800 agencies worldwide are affected. The Ministry announced this on February 01, 2026. The suspension only affects new visa issuance and contract renewals. Pilgrims holding valid visas or confirmed bookings will not see any disruption in their services, including visas, accommodation, and transportation. Ministry spokesperson Ghassan Alnwaimi said the suspension is to enforce performance standards and protect pilgrims’ rights. The agencies have a 10-day window to fix their issues and could have their contracts reinstated if they meet the standards. This action is part of Saudi Arabia’s wider effort to improve the Umrah travel sector’s quality and reliability under its Vision 2030 plan. The government wants more transparency and accountability from travel agencies. Problems like poor accommodation and transport services led to previous suspensions. This step shows continued strict monitoring to ensure pilgrims get the best experience. Reactions vary. Some support the move as necessary, while smaller agencies worry about meeting strict rules. Pilgrims have expressed relief that their trips won’t be disturbed. The Ministry plans to keep up monitoring with surprise checks and tougher metrics. The goal is to assure highest standards and safeguard millions of pilgrims worldwide. In short, Saudi Arabia is raising the bar for foreign Umrah travel agencies by suspending 1,800 due to subpar performance but protecting pilgrims already booked.