Ramadan 2024: Due to the huge increase in the number of pilgrims to Mecca-Medina during Ramadan, there has been a major change in the prices of tour packages by tour and travel operators. Per person tour package prices have been doubled by Umrah travel agencies and tour operators. Not only this, in view of the possibility of huge crowd during Qiyam al-Lail (night vigil prayer) in the last 10 days of Ramadan, the fare has been increased three times. There has been a big increase in the fares for booking flights from Riyadh to Jeddah also.
According to Arab News report, the fare for individual tour bus packages from Umrah travel operators in Riyadh is SR110 (Saudi Riyal) ($30) on normal days. In view of the rush of pilgrims during Ramadan, it has now been doubled to SR200. That means the fare has doubled on normal days.
Possibility of further increase in rental prices in the coming time
Moreover, there is a possibility of further increase in this fare in the coming time. Tour operators in the Hai al-Wizarat district say fares are likely to increase further to between SR250 and SR300 during Qiyam al-Lail.
Tour operator Al-Fajr says the increase in Umrah package prices is due to the huge crowd of pilgrims during Ramadan. It also said that the reason for the increase in its prices is the 15 percent increase in VAT rates.
Most people want to spend the day in the cities of Mecca and Medina.
Abdur Rahman Omeri of Riyadh, who came to get information about Umrah package, said that most of the people want to spend the time of Ramadan in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The number of Umrah travel operators in the capital is around 100, mostly present in Al-Wizarat and Batha districts.
Every year the prices of Umrah packages increase during Ramadan.
According to reports, an increase in the prices of Umrah packages is seen every year during Ramzan. There was no increase in the fare for this package due to the Corona epidemic. Now that the restrictions of Covid 19 have been removed, the number of pilgrims has started increasing. The number of Umrah pilgrims at the Grand Mosque in Mecca has increased due to which the prices have increased. Not only this, there is huge demand for flights. Flights from Riyadh to Jeddah are filling up rapidly.
Mohammad Aslam Jameel, supervisor of Riyadh Travel Company, says that due to the huge demand for flights from Riyadh to Jeddah during Ramadan, tickets for some nearby dates have already been sold.
Increase in Riyadh to Jeddah round trip bookings
He told that I had booked a round trip from Riyadh to Jeddah for the family on Friday (22 March) in the third week of February, 2024, the fare of which was 592 Saudi Riyals per passenger. At the same time, now when I checked the ticket fare, it has reached between 1000 to 500 hundred riyals. Its fare for the next week will be 2000 Saudi Riyals and if traveling by air during Qiyam al-Lail, its price is likely to be 2,500 Saudi Riyals per passenger.
He said that compared to normal days, the ticket is very cheap which has now reached around 1000 Saudi Riyals. At the same time, the fares for international flights tickets have also increased on the dates close to Eid-ul-Fitr as many expatriates are planning to go back to their homes to celebrate Eid with their family and friends.
People also coming to celebrate Eid with family
Mohammad Serajuddin, an Indian working at King Saud University, says he is traveling to India on April 4 to join his family for Eid celebrations. For this, I had booked a ticket from Riyadh to New Delhi on 28 February, the fare of which was 985 Saudi Riyals, but now if the ticket is booked for that date, then about 1,200 Saudi Riyals will have to be paid for it.
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