N.M.Travels & Tours - the leader in Hajj and Umrah pilgrimage packages - will shortly celebrate its 12th anniversary. The company commenced business in 2000, and has since sent over 18,000 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.
The company's Founder Chairman and Managing Director M.S.H. Mohammed recalls that they started in a humble way with just two people in their office at Wellawatte.
He said, "We initially undertook Hajj tours, and soon pioneered Umrah packages. I participated at an Umrah exhibition in Jeddah, and realized it could be organized in Sri Lanka. I obtained the necessary hotel and airline contacts and got started. It wasn't as easy as I thought. Initially, we had only 5 or 6 pilgrims for a month. For the first two years, the business suffered a loss. But I didn't give up, and with the support of certain helpful individuals, I succeeded."
Over the past 11 years, N.M. Travels & Tours has sent 15,000 pilgrims on Umrah and 3,000 pilgrims on Hajj. This year alone, they sent 3000 pilgrims on Umrah, and hope to send 5000 next year. The company's aim is to send 100,000 pilgrims by 2025.
"The reason behind our success is the small profit margin we keep and our personalized service," said Mohammed. "This enables us to provide an opportunity to Sri Lankan Muslims from the middle and lower-middle classes to perform Hajj and Umrah."
He recalls his mother's words when he presented her the licence to operate Hajj tours. She said, "Son, you must support the poor." She said this because she knew what a struggle they underwent to send her on Hajj in 1987.
The company offers a very special discount of 50% for those who have provided a service to the Muslim community. Muezzins, katheebs, retired school principals and converts to Islam benefit from this concession.
N.M.Travels & Tours has also been involved in social service activities. In 2000, at a time the Muslim radio service was struggling to survive, the company came forward with a sponsorship for the popular religious programme "Ayyamum Telivum", which was broadcast every Thursday. This move invigorated the Muslim service. "Ayyamum Telivum" has continued to be broadcast live for nearly 600 weeks.
The company also invited 108 Muslim students who obtained 9As in their O/Ls to a function at Zahira College Colombo recently to felicitate them. The students were given gift packages, and, based on a draw, six of them were selected to receive free Umrah packages with all expenses paid.
Mohammed said that in celebration of their 12th anniversary, they would select the top-scoring 25 students from among 400 in madrasas islandwide based on a competitive exam, and offer them free Umrah packages with all expenses paid.
Mohamed stated that he gathered a lot of knowledge and expertise from internationally-reputed agents for Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. They include Raudah Wisata Travels of Indonesia, Fly Well Travels of South Africa, Rifai Travels of France, Amanath Travels of India and TM Fouzi Travels of Singapore. They guided him on how to operate Umrah off-season tours, as it was a new concept to Sri Lanka in 2000.
"I have been fortunate in having many people who have supported us on our path to success," said Mohammed. These include the Chairman of The Traveller Global, Rizmi Riyal, the Director of The Traveller Global, Fawaz Mohammed, the General Manager of Dallah Taibah Hotel in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, Hassan Rauff, the late Al Haj Niyas Moulavi, the Managing Director of Skills Advertising & Marketing, Ananda Samarasinghe, whose agency has handled their advertising most successfully, and all print and electronic media. |
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