SEEKING RELIGIOUS TOURISTS
Despite such worrying climate projections, Saudi Arabia has said it wants to expand the numbers of religious tourists, aiming to welcome 30 million pilgrims for Haj and the year-round pilgrimage umra annually by 2030, as part of its broader strategy to wean the economy off oil.
In 2019, Saudi Arabia earned about US$12 billion annually from Haj and umra, according official data.
Haj tours can cost from US$5,000 to US$10,000 per person, and the price is part of the reason many take unofficial packages.
“Finances are … a huge factor,” said Khaled El Sherbini, the owner of an Egypt-based tour agency. He said an Egyptian could do Haj “unregistered” for 30,000 or 40,000 EGP (US$622-US$829), a fraction of an official package costing about 300,000 EGP (US$6,222.78). In 2018 a Haj package would have cost about US$3,000.
The kingdom is determined to protect official Haj packages. Ahead of the pilgrimage, its interior ministry said those caught transporting an unregistered pilgrim would face up to six months in prison and a fine of up to 50,000 riyals (US$13,000).
An Egyptian crisis unit tasked with investigating the deaths of Egyptian pilgrims said on Saturday it suspended licences of 16 tourism companies and referred them for prosecution.
Pilgrims who bought lower-end packages told Reuters they were packed into crowded tents with 80 to 200 people and limited cooling. Alia Asma, an Indian pilgrim, said that she had to walk longer distances than those who bought more expensive tours.
“The rich can afford luxurious apartments and the poor come into the tents,” said Irhan al-Alawi, the executive director of the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation.
