Although the increase in prices of a budget Haj (which costs between SR3,000 and SR4,000) and a standard Haj (which costs between SR7,000 and SR8,000) has not been very substantial, the price of a VIP Haj (which costs between SR50,000 and SR70,000 per person) has shot up considerably.

“The price of Haj has increased a lot this year,” said Abdullah Ibrahim from Al-Eitani Haj group. “This is due to the increased costs in renting tents, employing maids and workers, hiring buses and paying for food,” he added.

“Hotels have also increased rents, something that has forced us to increase fees for our VIP Haj,” he said.

Al-Ujoor, another Haj service provider, has also increased prices. “We’ve tried our best to keep the costs at a minimum. We know that Haj is worship and not a time for commerce, but we’ve been forced to increase our fees,” said an employee at Al-Ujoor.

“We offer very high-class services which include open buffets, a medical team that is available 24 hours, and separate accommodation for men and women. These services are available for SR70,000,” said the employee.

“Some families prefer to have their own tents, which resemble high-class hotel suites. They can enjoy living in comfort and other top services ... In addition to open buffets, there are separate bathrooms, special dishes and special buses,” he said.

He added that pilgrims who perform Haj with Al-Ujoor will be able to use the new metro and that guides will be at hand to help pilgrims use the metro, directing them where to go.

Al-Ishraq, another Haj service provider, said the price of renting buses has increased. “After the ban on small buses and taxis entering the holy sites, bus companies have increased their fees. The cost of a round trip from Makkah to the holy sites per pilgrim was SR180 and it cost SR127 to transfer one pilgrim from Makkah to Madinah. The prices have increased to SR250,” said Khalaf Al-Ghamdi, from Al-Ishraq.

“There are many rumors regarding the price of metro tickets. This has led us to increase our fees. We want to make sure the fees cover all services that we offer,” he said.

Saad Al-Qurashi, head of the Haj and Umrah Committee at the Jeddah Chamber for Commerce and Industry, confirmed that the prices of domestic Haj service providers have increased.

“The Ministry of Haj has increased the rental charges for tents in Mina. In the past, tents would cost between SR2,500 and SR3,000. Prices this year start at SR7,500 ... The increase is because of scarcity of tents,” he said.

Al-Qurashi expects the high prices to force people to use rural roads to reach Makkah and the holy sites and perform Haj without official permits.

“These prices will encourage pilgrims to use different ways to get to Makkah. They might opt to use the Old Makkah Road. There will be more squatters this year,” said Al-Qurashi.