The officials added that the increased rates are partly to do with Haj companies and owners of hotels and furnished apartments in the central area around the Grand Mosque introducing new prices for the periods before, during and after Haj.
The changes are in line with instructions from the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) to reclassify hotels and furnished apartments.
The officials added that another reason behind the increased prices is the drop in the number of buildings close to the Grand Mosque, especially in the districts of Al-Shamiyah, Gaza and Al-Shubaykah, where buildings have been demolished to make way for the project to extend the Grand Mosque’s courtyard.
Muhammad Tawfiq, CEO of the National Organization for the Affairs of Haj and Umrah in Egypt, said the cost of Haj for pilgrims who come with welfare societies will be around 16,000 to 22,000 Egyptian pounds, around 60,000 pounds for pilgrims who come with tourist companies and 140,000 pounds for express Hajis who will be given five-star service and only stay in the Kingdom for four days.
He added that priority will this year be given to elderly men and women who could not perform Haj last year because of swine flue. “They are about 20 percent of Egypt’s 60,000 pilgrims who will be selected by draw,” he added.
Tawfiq said there will be a five percent increase in the number of Haj visas given to the disabled and people with chronic diseases.
About 80,000 Egyptian pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year. Egypt’s Interior Ministry selects 40,000 pilgrims by draw while welfare societies and tourist companies are given 12,500 and 30,000 visas respectively.
