With Ramadan just days away, there is a surge in Umrah demand from people all over the world. People prefer to perform this holy pilgrimage in the month of Ramadan. While people from all Muslim countries like to do it, people from the United Arab Emirates have applied in huge numbers.
The Umrah pilgrimage has experienced a significant increase in demand in the United Arab Emirates, with a rise of almost 65% compared to previous months, according to operators. In preparation for the holy month of Ramadan, almost a hundred bus trips per week are being organized to meet the growing demand.
According to each pilgrimage operator, approximately 50 pilgrims are travelling by flight every week, and even more, are using buses to make the journey. Based on this calculation, it can be inferred that over 5,000 people are traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Makkah every week by bus.
An astonishing 65% increase in demand for Umrah has been recorded from the United Arab Emirates alone. The operators have stated that they anticipate a price increase of around 10 to 15 percent during the initial two weeks of Ramadan. Pictures and videos of pilgrims overflowing the House of Allah have been circulating the internet for the past few days as well.
It is expected that the ticket prices for Saudi Arabia will increase in the first two weeks of Ramadan in the United Arab Emirates. These figures are just from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia will soon release their own numbers very soon.
Read More: Ramadan Calendar 2023 – Sehri, Iftar Timings, Namaz Time & Dates
Every year, Saudi Arabia shares the increase in demand for Umrah and how many hundreds or thousands of people come to the country to perform this religious pilgrimage that year.
What is Umrah?
Umrah is a pilgrimage to the holy city of Makkah that can be undertaken at any time of the year by Muslims, but people prefer to perform it during Ramadan. While it is not compulsory like Hajj, it is still highly recommended and holds great spiritual significance in Islam. It involves performing a set of rituals such as wearing the Ihram, circumambulating the Kaaba, and walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa. It can be completed in a few hours and is often performed as a precursor to the Hajj pilgrimage.