The Prince Naif Bin Abdul Aziz Chair for Pilgrims Housing has been set up at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah to conduct research into ways to ensure that there is suitable and cost-effective housing for pilgrims in Makkah, Madina and the holy sites and to develop administrative work related to Haj procedures. This is especially important as we reported Monday that according to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), 10 percent of the buildings used for pilgrims housing in Makkah have failed to meet the Commission's criteria and conditions for hotel licenses. The chair is named after Prince Naif, the Second Deputy Premier and Minister of Interior, who is known for his commitment to ensuring that world-class services are provided for Haj and Umrah pilgrims. The chair will be financed by Tawafa establishments and supervised by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Haj Research. Experts from local and international universities will carry out studies that seek to reach the ultimate goal of improving the housing services provided to pilgrims and formulating a comprehensive vision of the housing issue. There are a number of issues that must be taken into consideration by those who will work on this research project. Pilgrims traveling from all corners of the world have a wide variety of cultural needs that must be taken into account. Along with this must be considered the financial position of those who come to the Kingdom to perform Haj and Umrah. Furthermore, when devising a plan to provide suitable housing for pilgrims, it must be realized that these cultural and financial conditions can change over the years. Finally, although it is clear from the SCTA report and others that there is a need to modernize the housing offered to pilgrims in Makkah, Madina and the holy sites, the most important factor must be to provide housing and services which will guarantee the tranquility necessary for the pilgrims' religious experience. Those who come to the Kingdom to perform Haj and Umrah are on a spiritual journey and everything should be done to enhance, and not to diminish, that experience. __
