Pilgrims who have completed the Haj pilgrimage are flocking into downtown Jeddah, a major commercial hub, to buy gold.

Business is brisk at the gold market and in Kandarah, while many pilgrims will be traveling to Madinah before heading home.

Sales are on the increase thanks to a decline in gold prices and an increase in the number of designs, according to traders.

Gold prices have dropped to a 15-month low of SR138 per 22-carat gram and SR129 per 21-carat gram.

“Our shops in Jeddah and Makkah have reported a 40 percent increase in gold sales,” said Abdul Gafur, regional sales manager of Malabar Golds & Diamonds, a gold ornaments giant in the region.

Promotions are also boosting gold sales, he said.

“Sales are picking up after Haj thanks to demand from pilgrims, who feel safer making valuable purchases after the pilgrimage since they don’t have to carry it around or risk having it stolen from their tents,” said Abdullah Hashedi, another trader.

Gold shopping is rampant among Asian pilgrims in particular, who are keen to buy their loved ones back home valuable tokens from their journey of a lifetime.

Asian pilgrims often buy rings, bangles, bracelets and necklaces as gift items.

Other traders have rebutted claims that sales, whether of 21 or 24-carat gold, are on the decline, but have admitted that previous years saw much higher activity.

Still, sales have improved overall, especially since this year’s wedding season, which was surprisingly docile, said traders.

“Haj is costly for us, not only because of Haj charges, but because we have to include gold shopping in the budget,” said Mohammed Saleem Ansari, an Indian pilgrim who had come from Makkah to purchase gold.

“The designs that are available in the Kingdom are not easily available in our country for common customers,” said Rasheeda Khatun, a Pakistani piglrim buying gold for her grandchildren.

Although the gold market in Kandarah is larger than the market in downtown Jeddah, the latter continues to enjoy more demand, thanks to its proximity and wider variety of goods.