JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia on Saturday welcomed the arrival of the first overseas pilgrims, marking the beginning of the Umrah season for the new Islamic year, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The new Umrah season began on Saturday, with authorities in the Kingdom receiving visa requests from July 14. The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques said: “In conjunction with the arrival of pilgrims from abroad to the Grand Mosque, the presidency continues to implement field services according to standards that take into account the latest developments in service excellence to create a safe worshipping environment and provide the finest services to the pilgrims of the Grand Mosque from all over the world.” The authority said it began preparations to provide the services early on, in line with crowd management plans, and prepared the Grand Mosque in Makkah and its courtyards to facilitate the Umrah rituals for pilgrims with ease and tranquillity. It also said it had prepared the services in line with plans following the return of the Umrah season after the completion of this year’s Hajj, adding that specific areas and entrances had been allocated to pilgrims to ensure the smooth movement of crowds.