For Hajj Pilgrims' Comfort Regarding Accommodation, PPIH Prepares 24-Hour WhatsApp Centre

Several Indonesian Hajj pilgrims who have arrived in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, have so far expressed satisfaction with the accommodation services provided by the government. In particular, all hotels serving as lodging for Indonesian pilgrims are located in the Markaziyah area or Ring 1 of Masjid Nabawi.

Head of the Accommodation Section of the Madinah Working Area (Daker) Zaenal Muttaqin explained that the Markaziyah area is a highly sought-after zone by Hajj-sending countries from around the world. This is due to its very close proximity to the place of worship.

Although situated in the main zone, Zaenal reminded that the characteristics of hotels in Madinah differ significantly from those in Makkah. “The characteristics are indeed different from those in Makkah, but we ensure that all pilgrims are well accommodated. Our main focus is to ensure that pilgrims can easily access Masjid Nabawi for worship or to attend ziyarah schedules,” said Zaenal Muttaqin on Saturday (25/4/2026).

The Madinah Daker has also prepared a mitigation system if pilgrims encounter issues related to lodging. Pilgrims or related parties are asked to report immediately through the official channels provided, either via the official WhatsApp (WA) Centre at +966503500017 or the kawal.haji.go.id website.

Zaenal explained that every report will be followed up by the Crisis Team that is on standby. However, he also asked pilgrims to remain patient as the problem-solving process sometimes requires technical procedures. “In the problem-solving process, we sometimes need time to communicate and negotiate with the Majmuah (service provider) or hotel owners in Saudi Arabia. We ask pilgrims to remain patient and entrust the handling to the officers,” he added.

In addition to ensuring lodging matters, officers also ensure that all pilgrims can carry out the ziyarah agenda around Madinah City according to the determined schedule. Supervision is carried out routinely every day to ensure that health facilities, meals, and pilgrim comfort remain maintained during their stay before moving to Makkah.