Iran war raises airfares for Muslim pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia

This year’s pilgrimage is overshadowed by war in Iran that’s disrupted air traffic across Gulf since February & resulted in record prices for jet fuel.

Representative Image | Hajj in Mecca

New Delhi: Muslims have long flocked to Saudi Arabia for one of religion’s most important rituals, the six-day Hajj pilgrimage to the sacred city of Mecca. Only that this year, the journey has turned out to be far more costly than usual.

For Egyptians, the Middle East’s biggest Muslim population, average ticket fares jumped to 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($956) from 30,000 pounds, according to the North African country’s tourism federation. Packages — often the preferred options for travelers — have risen 30%, with some soaring to 90,000 pounds from 70,000 pounds.

Saudi Arabian Airlines Boost Capacity Beyond Gulf Rivals | Bloomberg

This year’s pilgrimage — which Muslims are generally required to perform once in their lifetime — is overshadowed by the war in Iran that’s disrupted air traffic across the Gulf since February and resulted in record prices for jet fuel — in turn leading to higher tickets fares across airlines.

Jazeera Airways, which is carrying more than 30,000 people from Russia and Central Asian countries to Mecca, said fares have risen by as much as 40% this season because the Kuwaiti company didn’t hedge its fuel.

Hajj Numbers Rise Despite Regional Disruptions | Bloomberg

Airfares to Saudi Arabia from major Muslim markets including Egypt, Pakistan and India have risen between 20% and 40% compared with the same period last year, according to travel company WEGO. Some routes now cost about 50% more

Air Travel Accounts for Majority of Hajj Arrivals | Bloomberg

Saudi Arabia has largely been spared from the disruptions prompted by the war, but the soaring prices will still impact the country, and the more than 1.5 million foreign worshipers flying in to congregate for the Hajj.

The religious journey was for a long time the only form of tourism that the desert nation cultivated, and it remains one of its most stable sources of income. Each country is assigned a quota for how many of its citizens can perform Hajj, and there are waiting lists for slots.

Driving religious tourism has been a focus for the kingdom as it tries to enrich the pilgrim experience and diversify its revenue sources. The Hajj economy is set to triple in value to about $350 billion by 2034, according to research group Future Market Insights Inc.

–With assistance from Abdel Latif Wahba and Yassmin Jabri.

This report is auto generated from the Bloomberg news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.