(AFP Photo /Fayez Nurelidine)
By Rania Yehia
The Ministry of Tourism held Sunday the electronic draw for this year’s Islamic pilgrimage. The draw took place at the Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) affiliated to the cabinet, and was attended by officials, a number of tourism companies, Tourism Chamber board members, and media representatives, according to ministry statement.
The announcement of the draw’s results is a significant event, with thousands of applicants waiting to hear whether they will be allowed to travel on pilgrimage, according to the head of the ministry’s tourist companies sector, Ashraf Omar.
He added that this is the third time the draw has been held at the IDSC, which is featured by full neutrality as well as providing the maximum completion and success of the electronic draw process.
The number of applicants for the pilgrimage reached 269,571 competing for 29,000 spots. These included 55,436 applied for luxurious pilgrimage, 127,401 for economic pilgrimage and 86,734 for pilgrimage by land, Omar added.
He also noted that citizens can inquire over their results using their identification number through the national pilgrimage website.
For his part, the IDSC supervisor said the draw’s different phases were held under the highest level of protection to ensure that no manipulation or penetration procedures occur.
The total number of tourist companies organising pilgrimage trips this year reached 2,168. Of these, 716 organise luxurious pilgrimage trips, 830 organise economic trips and 569 organise land trips, according to the statement.
