News Agencies – 2018/07/31

The Indonesian ministry for Hajj services says pilgrims can now find out which hotel they will stay at in Makkah and Madinah, along with the map and online directions to get to the hotel and information on the facilities the hotel provides just by entering the code of their flight group.

Available only to Android smartphone users since 2016, the app is available on Google Play Store and has been updated from its earlier version with more features after the updated Smart Hajj application was launched by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The Ministry’s Director for Hajj services Sri Ilhma Lubis says other features include weather prediction, flight schedules, prayer times, currency exchange rate and a Hajjpedia which provides a glossary of Hajj terms.

“An Indonesian-to-Arabic translation service for simple, everyday phrases pilgrims will need to get around the holy sites and tutorial videos on how they can use the services provided during the pilgrimage.”

Lubis says the app has been downloaded more than 10,000 times.

“Received mixed reviews from 395 users, of which 240 gave the app five stars. Some complaints in the reviews said the screen sometimes goes black and white and that it was still “too buggy.”

Up to 221,000 pilgrims are expected to depart from Indonesia this year and the last Hajj departure will be on Aug. 14.

(Arab News)