The Hajj and Umrah conference held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, recently announced that more than 13 mn people are expected to perform Hajj in 2023. This significant figure was shared by the Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Arab News Agency reports.
Global participation
The conference was a global event, with religious figures and heads of pilgrimage organization companies from 80 countries in attendance. The Minister welcomed the arrival of 33,690 pilgrims from Iraq and looks forward to welcoming 31,600 pilgrims from Malaysia, among the 2 mn pilgrims the Kingdom is preparing to receive during the 2023 Hajj season.
Enhanced services
In his address, Tawfiq Al-Rabiah noted that the number of employees serving pilgrims will increase from 44,000 to 120,000 people.
Economic impact
The economic impact of this increase in Hajj pilgrims is significant. For instance, the Singapore Hajj body announced an increase of $1,500 in Hajj cost. This surge in pilgrims and the associated costs will likely have a substantial impact on the participating countries' economies.
Umrah statistics
In 2022, the total number of Umrah performers reached a staggering 24.7 mn, according to the General Authority for Statistics. This figure included 9.5 mn pilgrims who performed Umrah for the first time. The total number of external Umrah performers reached 8.4 mn, with males accounting for 44.20% and females representing 55.80% of the total. This data underscores the global significance and appeal of the Umrah pilgrimage.
Earlier, Daryo reported that the delegation of Uzbekistan has been engaged in fruitful negotiations with several official agencies in Saudi Arabia. These dialogues have led to a significant reduction in the price of Umrah services. Starting January 10, 2024, the “Hajj and Umrah” centre of the Office of Muslims of Uzbekistan has set the price of Umrah services at UZS 16.6mn ($1,346) per person.
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