Ministry of Tourism’s operational room to monitor overland Hajj trips around the clock

CAIRO - 17 May 2026: The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, represented by the Central Administration for Tourism Companies, has established—for the first time—a 24/7 operations room to monitor and track tourist buses transporting overland Hajj pilgrims. 

Monitoring begins upon the buses’ departure from the Egyptian port of Nuweiba and continues throughout their journey outside the Egyptian territory, and is carried out in cooperation with the Egyptian Company for Tracking Services and Information Technology (ETIT).

This initiative complements the integrated electronic system recently launched by the Ministry to track tourist buses both inside and outside Egyptian borders. It comes in line with the directives of Mr. Sherif Fathy, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, to enhance the Hajj tourism system and leverage modern technological solutions to ensure effective monitoring of overland pilgrims’ journeys.

Professor Samia Sami, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Antiquities for Tourism Companies Affairs, Head of the Egyptian Tourist Hajj Affairs Office, and Head of the Supreme Committee for Hajj and Umrah, explained that the Ministry monitors the movements of tourist buses around the clock through the operations room.

“The monitoring is carried out by a specialized technical team composed of representatives from the Ministry’s General Directorate of Tourist Transport and ETIT,” she said. 

Sami added that the monitoring process covers the entire route, beginning at the port of Nuweiba, passing through the Jordanian port of Aqaba, the Halat Ammar border crossing, and the Al-Nawariyah area in Mecca, until the pilgrims reach their accommodations in Mecca and Medina. The return journey to Egypt is also monitored.

Engineer Hossam El-Badawy, Director General of the General Administration for Tourist Transport at the Ministry, stated that the specialized team tracks each tourist bus individually through its electronic tracking system. The team monitors bus speed and routes to ensure compliance with approved itineraries and operational standards.

He further explained that the team submits periodic reports detailing bus locations, operational status, and any observations. In addition, the team maintains direct communication with bus supervisors and drivers to allow for immediate intervention when necessary. Continuous coordination is also maintained with the Ministry’s committees at land and sea ports to address any obstacles that may arise during the journey and to ensure the safe and smooth arrival of pilgrims at their destinations.

Overland tourist Hajj trips from Egypt to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are scheduled to continue until May 18, transporting approximately 6,000 Egyptian pilgrims aboard 130 tourist buses.