Jakarta, March 21 -- Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, on early Thursday, took off to Saudi Arabia to check preparations for the implementation of the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage and learn about regulations concerning backpackers' Umrah.

Umrah refers to a pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken at any time, in contrast with Hajj that must be undertaken on specific dates of the year. Specifically, backpackers' Umrah is a pilgrimage carried out independently without using services offered by travel agents and Umrah organizers.

"I want to check the progress in Hajj preparations in Saudi Arabia. In addition, I seek to learn about Saudi Arabia's regulations on backpackers' Umrah, which has become an issue," he noted in a statement ...