(APS) – Saudi Minister in charge of Haji and Umrah, Tawfiq Bien Fawzan Al Rabiah announced the return of quotas that were allocated to states before the pandemic and Covid-19 and the lifting of age restrictions in the occasion of the 2023 edition of the pilgrimage scheduled for June.
This 2023 edition (1444 Hegira) ”will be marked by the return of the quotas usually allocated to the States before the appearance of the Covid-19 pandemic and the abolition of special conditions, in particular those related to age”, a-t – he said at the opening in Makkah of Expo Hajj”, an exhibition conference on Hajj and Umrah services.
The Saudi minister in remarks reported by a press release announced the decision of the authorities of his country to proceed with the “reduction of the insurance costs linked to the Umrah which will henceforth be fixed at 88 riyals and for those of the pilgrimage at 29 riyals”.
Dr. Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah reminded the participants of ”the colossal investments granted by Saudi Arabia in the framework of the construction of the infrastructures within the scope of the expansion of the Grand Mosque of Mecca”.
These works, the cost of which is estimated at ”more than 200 billion riyals”, constitute, according to him, ”one of the biggest construction projects in history”.
The minister also assured of ”the continuation of the enlargement works of the Prophetic Mosque of the Medina as well as the renovation projects of the holy Parcours (Mouna, Arafat, Mosdalifa)”.
Age restrictions with the outbreak of Covid-19 will also be lifted, according to the Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah.
To better address the concerns of pilgrims and tour operators, Saudi authorities plan to drastically reduce insurance premiums for Umrah candidates.
“As a result, the tariffs will drop from 235 to 88 riyals, a relative reduction of 63%. On the side of candidates for the pilgrimage, the cost of insurance will drop from 109 to 29 riyals, a reduction rate of around 73%,” he said.
All these measures sufficiently prove the Kingdom’s concern to make the quality of its services more optimal but also to facilitate access for visitors, wishing to perform Umrah or Hajj, to the Holy Places of Islam, argued the minister. .