KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 10 (NNN-Bernama) — The Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (MATA) announced its partnership with Tawkeel, a leading technology company based in Saudi Arabia, to leverage innovative technology solutions for detecting and preventing fraudulent Umrah Badal tour operators.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate the partnership was signed Tuesday at the Hajj and Umrah Exhibition 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
MATA President, Dr Mohd Khalid Harun, in a statement said that through this partnership, MATA and Tawkeel aim to create a safer and more transparent Badal Umrah ecosystem for Malaysians.
The Umrah travel industry is a prime target for fraud due to the large volume of transactions, especially during peak seasons.
“The partnership will enable MATA and its members, comprising 400 licensed travel agencies in Malaysia, to access Tawkeel. This application facilitates the process of delegating qualified individuals to perform Umrah Badal, aiming to assist Muslims who are unable to perform the rituals, such as those who have passed on.
“Using visual technology, Tawkeel also allows interaction between Umrah performers and clients, along with the ability to delegate sacrifices. The platform aligns with the efforts of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah and the Kingdom’s 2030 vision for digital transformation in all services,” he said.
Tawkeel provides the possibility of documenting the rituals during their performance and sharing photos and videos with the client. It can be used in more than nine languages, facilitating communication between the performer and the client.
Mohd Khalid said Tawkeel also shares MATA’s vision of leveraging technology and innovation to build a trusted Umrah ecosystem.
“With their latest technological capabilities, we have a powerful solution to help regulate the industry and prevent Badal Umrah scams in Malaysia,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tawkeel CEO Nabeel Zailaie expressed his delight in partnering with MATA to serve the Malaysian Muslim community to perform Badal Umrah.
“Our technology was designed specifically for the unique challenges of the Umrah industry, and we are confident it will be an effective tool for MATA to enforce high standards of quality and integrity among tour operators,” he said.
— NNN-BERNAMA