As they prepare to host this year’s Haj, the Saudi authorities have released some revealing numbers related to the 2013 pilgrimage season.

It was in 2012 that the Gulf state welcomed a record number of pilgrims, eventually totalling a substantial 3.16 million. But these numbers dropped to 1.98 million last year brought on by the expansion programme underway at the Grand Mosque and its immediate vicinity.

Not surprisingly, restrictions were placed on the number of pilgrims allowed to perform Haj for reasons relating to safety and crowd control. The ruling was applied to pilgrims originating from abroad but more so on domestic visitors.

The number of pilgrims from abroad stood at 1.38 million in 2013, down from the 1.75 million in 2012. Domestic pilgrims numbered 0.6 million, down sharply from the 1.41 million in 2012. Non-Saudis, notably Egyptian and Pakistani nationals, comprised more than two-thirds of the pilgrims from inside the kingdom.

The same restrictions remain in place for this year’s Haj given the ongoing expansion programme. Worse still, fears of a possible spread of Ebola virus among pilgrims could further curtail the number of people allowed to perform Haj this year. The Saudi authorities have decided not to issue visas to pilgrims from three countries, namely Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.

Understandably, the move to place restrictions on pilgrims, especially from overseas, is not going to be popular with businesses and sectors which have traditionally benefited from the influx. A study by the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) projects a 3 per cent rise in 2014 Haj revenues, to total $8.53 billion. This, however, does not come anywhere close to the $11.1 billion generated in 2012.

The MCCI study also notes that pilgrims coming from abroad contribute a whopping 89 per cent of total Haj revenues. This partly explains the fact why Saudi enterprises lay such emphasis on the intake of overseas pilgrims. Last year, there was a drop of 57 per cent and 21 per cent from domestic and international sources.

Four cities in western Saudi Arabia benefit substantially from the Haj season — Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif. With 94 per cent of pilgrims from abroad travelling to Saudi Arabia by air, the King Abdul Aziz Airport in Jeddah serves as gateway to the Holy City. Obviously, the flagship Saudi Arabian Airlines is as the primary carrier of pilgrims.

Undoubtedly, the annual Haj serves as a golden opportunity for Saudi businesses to launch new products and services. In addition, the season provides employment opportunities for thousands of Saudi nationals. Some of them, including youngsters, engage in simple trading activities such as selling foodstuffs and prayer beads.

Other Saudis and foreign residents use their private vehicles to transport pilgrims, thus pocketing a sizeable income. Also, some Makkah residents rent their homesteads to firms arranging pilgrims’ visits, which provides a boost to their annual incomes.

Somehow, some activities related to the Haj go unreported due to the lack of a comprehensive tax regime. In fairness, there have been suggestions that some businesses tend to report lower than actual revenue figures in order to limit the payment of 2.5 per cent zakat, or Islamic tax. Hence, the actual revenues and spillover benefits relating to the Haj should be much higher than reported.

Even then, full revenues related to the holy places increase substantially when one adds Umra, which can take place at anytime but is most popular during Ramadan and notably so during the last days of the Holy Month.

The new Haj season will, with all its ensuing religious and business prospects, gets underway in the days and weeks to come.