As foreign Hajj pilgrims return to Mecca following a two-year absence, the global industry surrounding the annual holy event in the Islamic calendar faces an uncertain future after new rules caused financial and logistical chaos for many travellers.
Last month, weeks before the start of Hajj, Saudi Arabia launched a new online portal, Motawif, via which all pilgrims from Europe, the Americas and Australia must now book using a lottery system. This means longstanding tour operators in those nations could be cut out, even after taking bookings this year.
