Hajj Dormitories to Become Umrah Service Centers: What's the Concept?

A new two-story building featuring 44 rooms, each equipped with hotel-like amenities including beds, wardrobes, desks, chairs, and en-suite bathrooms, has been added to the Class I Haji Dormitory complex in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan. This facility, capable of housing 176 people, was constructed using a 2025 State Islamic Treasury Letters (SBSN) financing scheme and officially opened on July 10, 2026.

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf, also known as Gus Irfan, emphasized that the challenge extends beyond construction. He stressed the government's need to ensure these state-funded facilities remain active and productive after the Hajj season concludes. "Hajj dormitories should not merely be centers for government budget expenditure but must evolve into sources of state revenue through optimal facility management," Yusuf stated during the inauguration.

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Hajj dormitories should not merely be centers for government budget expenditure but must evolve into sources of state revenue through optimal facility management.

Gus Irfan envisions a paradigm shift for Indonesia's more than 30 hajj dormitories, transforming them from seasonal transit points into year-round service hubs. This initiative aims to serve umrah pilgrims and the general public, aligning with a national vision of sovereignty, justice, and prosperity. Sovereignty is to be realized through self-managed pilgrim service infrastructure, justice through equitable service quality across regions, and prosperity through productive and transparent asset management that benefits the community economically.

Acknowledging the varied conditions of existing hajj dormitories, Gus Irfan noted the difficulty in maintaining and maximizing their use compared to the initial construction. The ministry aims to move beyond simply counting newly built or inaugurated buildings. Success will now be measured by the utilization rate and the effective management of these assets, ensuring they contribute meaningfully to national revenue and public service throughout the year.

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Building is not easy, but maintaining and maximizing its use is far more difficult.