ANKARA
Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah said on Tuesday that the Kingdom’s e-Visa program would make it less difficult for Turkish citizens to travel to the Holy Land.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday expanded the program to six new countries, Turkey, to inspire tourism.
The e-Visa allows its holders to perform Umrah and devotional places and other tourist sites in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia “has added Turkey to the e-visa program and we believe this provides adequate amenities for Turkish citizens who want to make a stopover in the Holy Land,” Al-Rabiah told a news conference in Ankara alongside Ali Erbas, Turkey’s chief executive. of Religious Affairs.
He said meetings were being held with Turkish officials “to provide more information to Turkish citizens who wish to stop in the cities of Mecca and Medina. “
Al-Rabiah cited an increase in the number of flights between Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
“Saudi airlines will beef up their flights starting this week,” he added.
The minister said flights from Ankara to Medina would begin on Tuesday.
“Direct flights will depart from Gaziantep in southern Turkey to Medina,” he added.
He said Saudi Arabia’s national carrier Saudia would add 100 flights to Jeddah and Medina during the Umrah season, while private Saudi airline Flynas would operate direct flights from Ankara to Jeddah.
Al-Rabiah arrived in Ankara on Monday to spend two days to talk about measures to facilitate Turkish pilgrimages.