150,000 perform Umrah in the first stage … and 10% hotel...

A member of the National Committee for Hajj and Umrah, a member of the Hotel Committee of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, a member of the Saudi Travel and Tourism Committee, Hani Al-Amiri, expected that about 150,000 pilgrims will perform the Umrah rituals during the next two weeks of the gradual return that the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah classified as the first phase, which will reduce the losses of last year. He told “Okaz” that the first period, which starts from today (Sunday) to the end of zero, will witness the occupancy rate of hotels, transportation and shops in the central region by about 10%, expecting an income of about 75 million riyals. While the second phase, which starts from the first Rabi ‘al-Awwal until the 15th of the same month, more than 250,000 pilgrims and 600,000 worshipers enter the Two Holy Mosques, and the occupancy rate for hotels, transportation and the commercial sector will reach 25% with an approximate income of 250 million riyals. Al-Amiri added that the third period, which starts from the middle of the month of Rabi al-Awwal until the end of the Umrah season at the end of the month of Shawwal, will witness the entry of more than 5 million pilgrims and visitors, with an operating rate of 70% for the hotels, transportation and commercial stores sector and an income of more than 10 billion Saudi riyals, indicating the presence of More than 531 Saudi companies and Umrah establishments are licensed by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, more than 6,500 external Umrah agents, 32 global reservation platforms for booking programs and online payment, and more than 270,000 housing units in Makkah.Al-Amiri stated that the male and female employees are honored to serve the guests of Allah and visitors, and in the event of the end of the Coronavirus pandemic, things will return to normal and the ignition rate may reach more than 130%, especially in the peak seasons of Shaban and Ramadan.