By Galal Fakkar

THE charges for most of the basic services being rendered to the Haj and Umrah pilgrims continue to remain almost unchanged since more than 30 years, according to experts. This shows the utmost keenness and concern of the Saudi government in making available of the best ever services and facilities at most reasonable fares in almost all vital sectors, such as transportation and accommodation, they pointed out.

Dr. Ali Hassan Naqour, chairman of the national committee for transport at the Council of Saudi Chambers, said that the cost for transportation and some other basic services for the Haj and Umrah pilgrims almost remain unchanged since 30 years. Naqour, who is also an economic expert, said that the transportation of pilgrims to and fro between the airports and the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah costs around SR485, and there have been not been any major changes in this for several years.

“The government’s support for the transportation of Haj pilgrims and its pressure on the transport contractors to make available of the service at affordable prices enable the pilgrims to enjoy better transportation at nominal rates and these fares are very little while comparing with the transportation costs in any other countries in the world.”

Sheikh Fahd Al-Sullami, member of the board of directors of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who is involved in the Kingdom’s Sacrificial Meat Utilization Program, echoed a similar view, saying that a number of basic services are being extended to the pilgrims at nominal rates without compromising on its quality. As for some other services, the increase in their prices range between 10 and 20 percent and this is also very moderate compared to the significant hike in prices at the global level, he said. “The Kingdom looks at the annual pilgrimage of Haj as something not to earn economic benefits but consider the services for pilgrims as a great honor.”

Moreover, he said, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, give utmost care and concern for the pilgrims and they made the service to the pilgrims and the Two Holy Mosques as one of the stellar pillars of the Kingdoms’ Vision 2030.

“The Vision, which envisages an increase in the number of Haj and Umrah pilgrims from eight million to 30 million by the year 2030, will pose big challenges in front of the Haj service providers as they have to upgrade their facilities and services in order to meet the requirements of the Vision,” he said.

On his part, Khalil Abdurahman Bahadir, a tawafa organization official for the Egyptian pilgrims, who has more than 40 years of experience in the field, said that the field workers participating with the concerned government agencies in the operation of Haj and Umrah need to have more interaction to realize the goals of the Vision. “The changes in the prices of some services from time to time would encourage new investors to enter the Haj and Umrah service sectors such as transport, hotel and accommodation,” he said.