Umrah pilgrims in UAE take bus as airfares to Saudi soar

DUBAI: Prices of Umrah packages for pilgrims traveling to Saudi Arabia by bus from the UAE have soared in the run-up to Eid al-Fitr. Not surprisingly, airfares to Saudi airports near Mecca have also skyrocketed for those who decide to arrive late for religious travel. Those planning to travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah during the last 10 days of Ramadan are likely to have to spend more than Dh2,750 (per person sharing for two people) for the Umrah bus package, compared to Dh1,700 before the start of Ramadan. Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travels, said school spring breaks in the UAE, which coincided with Ramadan, were also a major driver of the increase in pilgrims and travel costs. “Umrah packages are expensive at the moment. Many people like to do some sightseeing in Saudi Arabia after completing their Umrah – which drives up prices.”

Ten-day Umrah adult bus packages are priced at Dh2,100 (four-bed sharing), Dh2,250 (three-bed sharing) and Dh2,650 (two-bed sharing). In comparison, an air travel package costs Dh4,800 for an adult, Dh3,800 for a child and Dh2,100 for an infant.

Some establishments also offer packages for AED 1,800. During the last 10 days of Ramadan, bus packages range from AED 2,650 to AED 3,650 and air tickets are AED 5,200. Compared to 2019, prices are significantly higher, said Basheer Manu, manager of Al Yarmook Hajj and Umrah and Travels in Sharjah.

Manu said his agency in Sharjah sees an average of 150 people a week for Umrah, and those numbers will increase during the final phase of Ramadan this year. “We organize buses from Sharjah to Saudi Arabia every Wednesday, and the frequency will increase after April 12,” Manu said, adding that with the price of air tickets to Riyadh and Mecca soaring, many travelers prefer to take the bus to Umrah bus. “The bus package includes seating in the luxury bus, hotel reservations and Juma prayers at the mosque. Airfare from Dubai to Medina alone is Dh1,401 (departs 19 April).” Getting Visa Made Easy Operations Director, Cozmo Travels Malik Naseer said: “Umrah is in very high demand this year because it has become easier to obtain a Saudi visa. Services are being provided digitally and recovery times have been shortened considerably. Also, individuals on visitor visas do not need to apply for a separate Umrah visa .”

Hotels near the Masjid al-Haram have reached 100% occupancy, sending room rates soaring. According to Umrah operators in the UAE and other travel agencies, last-minute bookers were unable to book rooms. “Most of the bookings being made now are for hotels that are at least three to five kilometers away from the Grand Mosque,” Manu said.

For example, DoubleTree by Hilton Makkah Jabal Omar (1.2 kilometers from Masjid al-Haram) charges Dh5,942 for a double room from April 20-27. The three-star Hotel Manazel Al Talayis Hotel (3.8 kilometers from the Grand Mosque) charged Dh1,708 for an economy triple room during the same period.

Before Ramadan, the same room was priced at Dh3, Dh743 and Dh1, Dh233 respectively. Some five-star hotels charge Dh10,000 for a one-week stay in Saudi Arabia.

Business travel to Saudi Arabia drives airfare prices While there is strong demand for religious travel to Saudi Arabia, business travel also drives demand, which in turn drives airfare prices to Saudi Arabia. GSA Husain Iqbal of Sharaf Travel said: “Passengers for a short trip from the UAE to Saudi Arabia have to pay Dh3,000-Dh5,000 for budget airlines. “Air tickets to the Kingdom are expensive. The return fare is a fraction of the fare. For example, an economy class ticket to Riyadh currently costs AED 2,500. The round trip fare is Dh500. “