Several male and female students from the **Department of Tourism and Hospitality at the College of Management and Economics at Umm Al-Qura University** have participated with innovative projects in the fourth edition of **"Hajjathon 4"**. This event was held as part of the 26th Scientific Symposium for Hajj, Umrah, and Visit Research under the theme: "Excellence and Integration in the Hajj and Umrah Services System."
This participation is an extension of the department’s efforts to promote active and project-based learning, encouraging students to translate the knowledge and skills acquired from academic courses and graduation projects into innovative, practical solutions. These solutions address real-world challenges in the tourism and hospitality sectors, specifically within the Hajj and Umrah services ecosystem.
The students participated with four innovative projects, as follows:
**"Smart Verification for Changing Hotel Linens" project**, presented by student **Anas Al-Hulaifi** from the Hotel Management track, which proposes employing smart solutions to enhance the quality of hotel operations and services.
**"Majra" Platform**, presented by female students **Maya Nami Al-Sulami, Leen Mazen Al-Mutrafi, and Ru’a Humaid Al-Saeedi**.
**"Rafeeq – The Smart Travel Assistant" project**, presented by students **Omar Zuhdi Abu Bakr Al-Attas, Bashar Al-Sulaimani, and Fares Al-Harbi**, which conceptualizes the integration of smart technologies to enhance the traveler experience.
**"Mo'een Bracelet" project**, presented by students **Rawasi Muhammad Al-Sawayhiri and Leen Mazen Al-Mutrafi** within the Crowd Management track. The project successfully qualified among the competing entries out of **167 submissions in this track**. The students reached the pitching stage, presenting and defending their idea before the judging panel in an experience that highlights their ability to develop innovative solutions addressing operational challenges in the Hajj and Umrah system.
These participations reflect the department's commitment to achieving key learning outcomes, including innovation, problem-solving, analytical thinking, teamwork, communication, presentation, and the integration of modern technology in tourism and hospitality. This is accomplished by providing students with opportunities to apply their academic knowledge in real-world contexts and participate in specialized initiatives and competitions.
Furthermore, the students' participation in "Hajjathon 4" represents a practical model for active learning strategies. It shifts the students' role from passive recipients of knowledge to active problem solvers, solution designers, team players, and innovators who pitch and discuss their ideas before specialists and judges. This directly bridges the gap between academic learning outcomes and actual professional practice.
By supporting student participation in such events, the department emphasizes the integration of academic study and professional application. It encourages students to develop ideas originating from coursework and graduation projects into scalable, applicable initiatives. Ultimately, this prepares graduates to innovate and contribute effectively to the development of the tourism and hospitality sectors, as well as to serving the Guests of Allah (Pilgrims).
This participation aligns with the Department of Tourism and Hospitality’s strategic direction to provide an interactive, student-centered learning environment that empowers students as active partners in the learning process and solution creation. It also reinforces the alignment of academic programs with labor market needs and the national objectives for developing the tourism, hospitality, and Hajj and Umrah sectors in the Kingdom.
