Gulf | Saudi Arabia
Four million pilgrims to take part in Umrah
More than four million pilgrims are expected to be in Makkah with the start of Umrah season this week.
- By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent
- Published: 00:10 March 15, 2008
Riyadh: More than four million pilgrims are expected to be in Makkah with the start of Umrah season this week.
Concerned government and private agencies have completed preparations to receive the pilgrims.
The Saudi ministry of Haj has started processing the requests from licensed Umrah companies and firms issuing Umrah visas.
After scrutinising the applications, the ministry is mailing them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to begin further procedures for issuing visas through Saudi embassies and consulates abroad.
Applications
It is expected that the first batch of Umrah pilgrims will arrive in the holy city within a few days.
Gulf News has learnt that four Umrah licensed companies and firms have so far presented their visa applications to the ministry after intensifying their marketing programmes in a number of Arab and Muslim countries, including Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and some West African countries.
The companies carried out their promotion activities in those countries and have concluded contracts with respective travel and tour offices to facilitate the transportation of pilgrims.
It is expected that there would be a substantial increase in the number of Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the holy cities this year compared with last year.
According to industry sources, more than four million pilgrims are expected to perform the lesser pilgrimage of Umrah during the current season. "The Umrah package is attractive as its cost is smaller than that of Haj and it enables a pilgrim to travel to Saudi Arabia more than once in a single Umrah season. There are Umrah packages for a duration of three days and many people want to take advantage of them," according to Umrah sources.
Regulations
Owners of hotels and residential apartments in the Central Region of the Haram Mosque in Makkah are expecting a huge flow of pilgrims in the current month.
The Saudi Ministry of Haj has introduced several new regulations aimed at improving the quality of services being extended to Umrah pilgrims especially regarding their accommodation and transportation.
It also takes strict punitive measures against those who are violating its regulations in this respect.
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