Saudi Arabia to begin bookings for domestic Hajj pilgrims this week
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Roshan Amiri
- . May 30, 2022
- . Update: May 30, 2022 9:02 pm
Saudi arabia–Pilgrims from Saudi Arabia will be able to book Hajj packages this week, according to Saed Al Juhani, chairman of the Co-ordination Council for Domestic Pilgrims’ board of directors.
Domestic pilgrims would be able to pick between three different lodging packages supplied by local businesses, he said. They can remain in Mina’s residential towers; in normal tents with all services, known as the Deyafah 2 package; or in modern tents that are similar to hotel rooms, known as the Deyafah 1 package, which is a new type of accommodation being offered for the first time.
When the bookings officially open, the price of each package will be announced. Mr Al Juhani stated that the food will be provided buffet-style, as opposed to the previous two years, when pilgrims were served individual meals in accordance with pandemic health procedures.
The pilgrimage is open to everyone under the age of 65 who has been immunised against Covid-19 using kingdom-approved vaccines. In preparation for the Hajj, which takes place from July 7 to July 12, authorities began restricting access to Makkah last week.
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Only foreigners with entry credentials will be permitted into the holy city starting Thursday, according to Brig Gen Sami Al Shuwairekh, spokesman for Public Security. “They can get permission from the security control centres at the Makkah entry gates,” he explained.
In the year before the pandemic, roughly 2.5 million people from all over the world performed Hajj. Saudi Arabian officials limited the number of pilgrims from within the country to 1,000 in 2020, but increased the amount to 60,000 last year as the kingdom’s vaccination rate increased.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said last month that the Hajj capacity would be increased to 1 million this year, including foreign pilgrims. This year’s festival has already received applications from 150,000 domestic pilgrims, both citizens and residents.
To be allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, foreign pilgrims must submit a negative PCR test for Covid-19 within 72 hours of their departure. For citizens and residents planning to perform Hajj, the UAE has established its own set of safety precautions.
According to the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority and the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, pilgrims must be under 65, have never undertaken Hajj before, be completely vaccinated, and have gotten a booster dose.
