The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has opened a challenge to develop an improved personal umbrella for pilgrims and Umrah performers, inviting innovators, designers, developers and specialised organisations to put forward creative ideas that can actually be produced.

The goal is to make movement around the holy sites more comfortable and safer. The ministry said the initiative is part of its continuing work to find practical solutions to pilgrims' needs, offering better protection from the sun, easier use, greater safety and more efficient, sustainable products.

Entrants are asked to produce a workable prototype that is light and easy to carry, gives strong protection against ultraviolet rays and can cope with the climate and with dense crowds.

The design must also match the visual identity of the holy sites and be suitable for mass production and distribution during the Hajj and Umrah seasons.

According to the ministry, the challenge focuses on solutions that improve the user experience, reduce heat stress while walking and help keep crowds moving smoothly, while creating a single visual identity for umbrellas used during the seasons.