JEDDAH, 31 August — Pilgrim service companies in the Kingdom expect a substantial increase in the volume of Umrah traffic this season. According to estimates, the number of pilgrims this year would be between 2.5 million and 3 million.
Yasser Al-Kholi, executive president of Labbaik company for Haj and Umrah services, told Al-Hayat newspaper that this Umrah season would be much better than last year in terms of quality of service and the number of pilgrims.
"The companies involved in the service have gained more experience and have had about 10 months to make preparations for the season. Last year, they got just five months due to disputes involving foreign companies, which stalled their work," Al-Kholi pointed out.
The companies encountered a lot of difficulties as a result of opposition from some Egyptian, Iranian and other companies to the new Umrah system, introduced last year. Saudi officials had to hold protracted talks with foreign firms to reach agreement on various issues.
"This year the Umrah companies have gained considerable experience compared to last year. In the first year of the implementation of the new system, they had to concentrate on training of the staff. This year they have got time to correct past mistakes," Al-Kholi said.
According to figures released last year, 97 percent of a total of 1.35 million Umrah pilgrims came from 20 Islamic countries. The numbers from other countries were very few.
The Haj Ministry had issued 1.8 million Umrah visas last year.
According to some analysts, 2.5 million pilgrims are expected to perform Umrah this season, as a result of measures taken by the Umrah companies and the Ministry of Haj. But Al-Kholi said the figure might even cross the three million mark.
Feasibility studies have shown that Saudi companies could make a revenue of SR40 billion ($10.6 billion) in the coming years if one million pilgrims visit the Kingdom every month, each staying 10 days and spending SR4,000 in the country.
The majority of the pilgrims last year stayed only less than a week in the Kingdom and their per capita spending was estimated at SR1,200. Rest of them stayed more than a week and spent about SR3,000 per person.
According to another study, two million pilgrims would visit the Kingdom during the first two years since the introduction of the new Umrah system and spend about a total of SR1.5 billion — excluding travel expenses. They are likely to spend 10 million nights in the Kingdom, dramatically increasing occupancy rates at hotels and furnished apartments, the study noted.
In Makkah alone, there are about 300 hotels and furnished apartments.
The Haj Ministry has licensed 200 Umrah companies to provide various services to pilgrims.
"What is happening now in Umrah service is quite natural as most companies working in the field lack experience," said Dr. Farouk Al-Khateeb, a professor at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah and an expert on Umrah services.
He said it would take at least five years for the Saudi companies to acquire enough experience in the area. "Companies having financial capabilities and expertise to provide quality service will remain in the business and others will have to quit," he pointed out.
He said the new Umrah system was still facing problems, especially in terms of relations between Saudi and foreign companies. "A price war is also likely as some companies which own hotels offer services at lower rates. This would ultimately affect the quality of service," he added.
