Monday, 01 June 2026
Egypt Hajj mission wins silver in Saudi “Labbaytum” Award
Egypt’s Interior Ministry–supervised Hajj mission has won the silver shield in Saudi Arabia’s “Labbaytum” Award for excellence in serving pilgrims, Egyptian officials said.
The award, granted in the category of Hajj affairs offices, recognizes the mission’s performance in meeting the needs of Egyptian pilgrims and managing their affairs throughout the pilgrimage.
The assistant interior minister for administrative affairs and head of the executive body of the ministerial Hajj committee said the award reflects the scale of efforts made by Egypt’s three Hajj missions — the general ballot, the social solidarity mission and the tourism mission. He said their coordination presented an image of Egypt “worthy of its reputation.”
He attributed the win to unprecedented cooperation between the heads of the three missions in fulfilling all requirements of Egyptian pilgrims, as well as to a focus on educational guidance to ensure pilgrims were aware of key rules and rituals.
He said the mission adhered to the full timetable set by Hajj authorities, including securing accommodation in Mecca and Medina, booking camp sites in Arafat and Mina, arranging transport and catering, issuing visas on schedule and completing all pre‑arrival data requirements. The mission also trained its staff and group leaders according to Saudi Arabia’s approved training materials and ensured that pilgrims were briefed on rituals and safety instructions.
Awareness plans were carried out for all stages of the pilgrimage, aligned with the Saudi Pilgrim Awareness Center’s programs. Pilgrims were also informed about international luggage standards, departure procedures and other regulations. The mission’s documented strategic objectives and the involvement of its leaders in supervising services were among the factors evaluated, along with the quality of accommodation, transport, medical care and services in the holy sites.
Evaluation teams for the “Labbaytum” Award visited the mission’s headquarters, inspected accommodation near the Grand Mosque in Mecca and camps in Arafat and Mina, and met pilgrims to assess their satisfaction. According to the Egyptian official, pilgrims expressed strong approval of the services provided.
Saudi Arabia launched the “Labbaytum” Award to promote competitiveness among service providers and encourage excellence in pilgrim services. The award assesses providers based on criteria including pilgrim satisfaction, cooperation with government partners, private‑sector standards, service quality and compliance.
The initiative aims to recognize efforts to improve the pilgrimage experience and encourage continuous development among organizations serving pilgrims.