SINGAPORE — As the annual pilgrimage season begins for Muslims, the temporary suspension of visas to Islam’s holiest sites in Saudi Arabia amid the Covid-19 outbreak has left tour operators and more than 2,000 pilgrims in Singapore scrambling to revise their plans.

Tour operators told TODAY that they have been working with their Saudi counterparts and promising full refunds since the suspension was put in place on Feb 27, although some are optimistic that the suspension will end soon.

More than 2,000 Singaporean pilgrims have signed up to perform the minor pilgrimage — or umrah — in March, the Islamic Religious Council (Muis) said. This is based on data shared by travel agents under the Association of the Muslim Travel Agents of Singapore (Amtas).

The Wall Street Journal reported that Saudi Arabia reported its first Covid-19 case on Monday (March 2). Neighbouring Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have collectively reported more than 120 cases in total. In addition to restrictions on pilgrims, Saudi Arabia has also suspended visas for tourists from countries with Covid-19 cases as it tries to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Millions of Muslims visit the cities of Mecca and Medina during the pilgrimage season. March is a popular time for Singaporeans to perform the umrah — which can be done throughout the year — because it is the school holidays. Another popular time is Ramadan, the holy month of fasting which starts on April 23.

In its announcement on Feb 27, Saudi Arabia provided no timeframe on when the suspension of visas for Muslims visiting the country would be lifted.

Raising this issue in Parliament on Monday, Dr Maliki Osman, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said: “Singapore hopes that the suspension will be lifted in due course so that Singaporeans can proceed with their umrah in a safe and secure manner.”

Some Singapore pilgrims interviewed by TODAY said that they have been cooperating with travel agents and preparing for the worst. They had already made travel arrangements and received visas before Saudi Arabia’s decision to suspend them.

Madam Hashimah Sidek, who signed up for a two-week trip 18 months ago and was supposed to depart on Sunday, said that she has been waiting by the phone for updates.

The 56-year-old added that it was her first time performing the minor pilgrimage and her son, a 37-year-old IT programmer, had already taken two weeks off work to go with her.

“We were very excited as it was going to be a mother-and-son trip. If we can’t go this time round, I’ll just take it as it’s not our calling yet,” she said.

The retiree whose husband died late last year, said that she wanted to come to terms with the loss by visiting the holy site, but now plans to postpone the trip until November, in hopes that the outbreak will simmer down.

CAREFULLY LAID PLANS

Another pilgrim, Madam Nur Azreenawaty, is uncertain if she could perform her pilgrimage at another time.

The freelance masseuse, who was supposed to depart on March 11 with her mother, husband and three children aged eight, three and two, said that the suspension has disrupted her carefully laid plans.

Mdm Azreenawaty planned for the trip to coincide with the March school holidays to minimise the number of days her children would miss school.

She also bought tickets for her foreign domestic worker to return home to Indonesia in her family’s absence.

“Now we’re just waiting for word from the travel agency. They told us that we might be joining the group that is departing next,” she added.

Mdm Azreenawaty and her taxi driver husband do not earn a fixed income. If she cannot depart by mid-March, she said that she might pull the plug on the trip and postpone it indefinitely.

TOUR OPERATORS SAY SUSPENSION MAY BE SHORT

Tour operators who have been in close contact with agencies in Saudi Arabia have been assured that the suspension will not last for long, they told TODAY.

Mr Zaini Abdullah, managing director of TravelConnect.sg, estimated that the ban would last about a week.

“We were told that the country is preparing contingencies and screening stations for incoming travellers,” he said, adding that he has been getting updates from his Saudi counterparts every day.

About 160 pilgrims using TravelConnect’s services have been affected by this suspension, he said.

Mr Haffidz Abdul Hamid, general manager of Halijah Travel, said that the unprecedented move by the Saudi government came suddenly and alarmed more than 200 pilgrims who made bookings with his firm and who are scheduled to depart in March.

However, Mr Haffidz urged the pilgrims to stay calm and wait for further updates from their respective tour agencies.

“We have made a calculated guess and there is a good chance that it will be lifted by mid-March so there is nothing to be alarmed about.

“More or less, we can take this as a blessing to prepare us for the haj season that is coming soon,” he added. The haj pilgrimage to Mecca, which takes place in July, must be undertaken by all Muslims who have the means at least once in their lives. 

In an advisory sent to the media last week, Muis said that it will continue to work with Amtas and the Saudi Embassy to closely monitor the developments on the impact of Covid-19 on pilgrims.

Amtas is to ensure that all Singaporeans who are making arrangements to perform the minor pilgrimage are adequately briefed on this development.

“All prospective pilgrims who had already made arrangements to perform umrah during this period are advised to consult their travel agents for the necessary adjustments and remedies where possible,” Muis added.