Hajj cost drops 39% for 1.4mn foreign pilgrims: Saudi minister

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Al-Rabiah has said the cost of the pilgrimage this year has dropped 39 per cent for 1.4 million pilgrims arriving from outside the Kingdom, reports Arab News.

There has been a considerable upgrade in services this year, as the numbers of pilgrims return to pre-Covid-19 levels, the minister said while speaking at a press conference in Riyadh on Thursday.

“The cost of Hajj has decreased, and Hajj packages have decreased by 39 per cent for pilgrims outside the Kingdom, benefiting more than 1.4 million… and we will see better services because of the nature of competition that helps enhance quality and reduce prices,” he said.

There has also been a cost reduction for domestic pilgrims, he added.

“We have a large number of observers who monitor the agreed packages... Last year, for example, we returned more than SR160 million ($42.66 million) to the pilgrims because of the breach of the agreements that were made, and we will not tolerate (this) with any company. And there will be incentives and (the) honouring of companies that achieve levels of satisfaction,” Al-Rabiah said.

/KN/