The Global Distribution System (Maqam) is a central base established by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to connect travel agencies with Hajj and Umrah service providers related to housing, transportation, and subsistence in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to enable them to offer their services to the pilgrims through local and international marketing platforms.
The Global Distribution System (Maqam) is one of the systems developed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, to enable pilgrims and Umrah performers to confirm and verify the approval of the package of purchased services and their actual availability with its approved and documented program electronically through "Maqam" and the electronic track system of the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
It is an advanced distribution system that operates on the Global Distribution System (GDS) to provide services and ensure their quality according to international standards.
Objectives of the Global Distribution System (Maqam)
The Global Distribution System (Maqam) aims to improve the experience of the pilgrims and achieve integration between the organizers of Hajj and Umrah services and providers of services that visitors need during their stay in Mecca and Medina, to provide the best standards in health insurance services, airline tickets, tourism programs, transportation, housing, and catering services, before completing the automated procedures for requesting an electronic visa for Hajj or Umrah.
Evaluation of Electronic Platforms for Pilgrims Services
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah subjects the platforms wishing to provide services to the pilgrims through the Global Distribution System "Maqam" to evaluation through a set of criteria determined by the Ministry, the most prominent of which are quality testing processes. In case the platform is able to provide the necessary services, it will be granted an electronic certificate that qualifies it to provide its services to pilgrims and visitors.
Registering in the Global Distribution System (Maqam)
The registration process in the Global Distribution System (Maqam) is carried out by applying electronically, entering the required data, and then reviewing the information entered by a specialized team from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to ensure that it is compliant with the standards and requirements approved by the system.
The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah organizes a meeting in which the approved platforms gather with the technical team of "Maqam" to explain all the details, answer inquiries related to the integration process between the platform and the program, and appoint a manager for the platform account to follow up on the system’s developments and requirements.
According to November 2022 statistics, the Global Distribution System (Maqam) includes thirty-five electronic marketing platforms, sixty-eight transportation companies, four suppliers of ground services, three suppliers of accommodation services, one supplier of transportation services, more than 178 providers of ground services, more than 2040 providers of accommodation services, and about 2471 external agents.
Related quizzes
