MAKKAH, 1 December 2007 — The streets of this holy city are getting crowded again as more than a million pilgrims have begun trickling in especially from Southeast Asia. Less than a month after the last of the Umrah pilgrims who arrived during Ramadan have departed, hotels in the city’s central area are booked to capacity. Some hotels are charging up to SR30,000 per week.
According to Sharif Abdul Monem, a local restaurant manager, even outlying hotels are costly with the minimum price of about SR1,800 per week.
Many pilgrims, who have their departure dates scheduled as soon as the pilgrimage rites are over, have started buying souvenirs and gift items to take home from the markets around the holy mosque and at markets in Al-Otaibia and Al-Azizia districts of Makkah.
Pilgrims from certain regions of the world frequent specific shopping districts in the city. For example, the Shirad Center is known to have pilgrims coming from the Gulf region and Europe.
Egyptians tend to buy from Al-Otaibia market, which is an open market where products are less expensive. Turkish, Iranian and Eastern European pilgrims tend to buy from Al-Aziziah market. This classification is due to the proximity of accommodations and hotels where these pilgrim stay.
According to Abdullah Muhammad, a trader, sales have increased by half in the past few days. The majority of pilgrims are buying clothing for women and children.
Pilgrims aren’t buying expensive luxury items; they are buying mostly prayer rugs and beads for friends back home.
“It is a common practice in Egypt for pilgrims to offer a prayer mat and a rosary to everyone who comes to greet them on their return,” said an Egyptian pilgrim.
According to officials from the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, pilgrims spent at least SR10 billion in Makkah alone last Haj.
Businessmen estimate the pilgrims spend around SR2 billion on the purchase of souvenirs and gift items. Foreign pilgrims are tempted to buy various other items in Makkah as they are cheap here compared to their home countries.
Domestic pilgrims also tend to make huge purchases in Makkah.
Nowadays shops in all parts of the city get a chunk of the Haj business because unlike in the past pilgrims accommodations are spread out in residential districts away from the Grand Mosque. Pilgrims mainly flock to shops in Aziziah, Al-Mansour Street, Al-Rusaifah and Sitteen Street.
The shops close to the pilgrim accommodations get the highest number of buyers and thus higher profits as well. This fact also encourages hawkers to display their ware on pavements in areas where pilgrim groups generally stay.
