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As Ramadan is around the corner, many aspiring pilgrims will have to spend more. Tour operators have come out with attractive offers to cash in on the huge demand of expatriate families booking for Umrah trips.
Different Umrah packages are offered by the travel agents and the prices range between QR1,300 and QR7,000, according to industry sources.
“The fare is slightly high in Ramadan, it increases during the last ten days. Our offer for the first ten days of Ramadan includes two nights in Madinah and three days in Makkah per person and we are charging QR2,420 by bus and QR3,600 by air per person," a tour operator told The Peninsula.
“During the last ten days we charge QR4,520 per person and QR2,500 in sharing room. The Umrah package includes Umrah visa, Qatar Airways fight ticket if travelling by Air and accommodation in 4-star hotel,” he added.
Several travel agents say that prices for Umrah trips usually increase during the last ten days of Ramadan. ”The cost of Umrah package that involves travel by road is between QR1,800 and QR2,000 in the beginning of the holy month this year. Last year it was in the range of QR1,400 to QR1,800.Similarly, the cost by air is between QR5,500 and QR9,000 this year as against QR3,000-QR7,000 last year," said a travel adviser.
Some travel agencies have announced details of their Umrah packages on their websites and social media.“The packages include, Umrah visa, Umrah group air packages (four Nights), Umrah group weekend air packages (two Nights),Umrah bus packages — ten Days, customised Umrah air packages, air tickets, hotel bookings in Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah, transportation, visits to historical places (Ziyarah), guide service and post-Umrah tours (Taif, Jeddah, Makkah and Madinah),”a travel agency says on its website.
Cost of Umrah depends on many factors
Industry sources also claim that the cost for Umrah pilgrimage would differ due to different factors including the mode of travel (by road or by air) and the date of travel.
“ The price of the packages keeps on varying during Ramadan but the best time in to book in May. First ten days of Ramadan it costs QR1300 per person by bus, whereas if the customer travels during the last ten days of Ramadan it will cost QR2000 per person.” said a travel agent.
“The cost of Umrah depends on many factors such as the mode of travel, type of hotel and the distance between the hotel and the Haram Sharif in Makkah. The ongoing construction work in the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, huge number of people willing to perform Umrah during Ramadan and the ban on expatriates going for Umrah by private cars are also contributing to the increasing cost of packages,” he added.
