(MENAFN- The Peninsula) By Irfan Bukhari / The Peninsula
Contrary to a set tradition practised every year during Ramadan, travel agents this year are getting fewer bookings for Umrah for the holy month from expatriate families due to upcoming school exams, among other factors.
'This year, Umrah bookings by expats are fewer than last year. The major factor behind this decline in trend is the exams scheduled during Ramadan, said an official of Dana Travels. He said that another factor behind low bookings was the QR2,000 fee on performing Umrah second time in the same year.
He said that Qataris, who do not need a visa, would spend Ramadan particularly the last days of the holy month in Makkah and Madinah. 'As expats cannot perform Umrah in Ramadan due to their kids taking exams, they are set to perform the pilgrimage during school summer vacations, he added.
Not only are there fewer bookings this year by expatriates for Umrah during Ramadan but they also have to shell out more. Different Umrah packages are being offered by travel agents with prices between QR1,500 and QR9,000.
Travel agents say that prices for Umrah packages usually increase during the last ten days of Ramadan. 'This year, the cost of Umrah package that involves travel by bus ranges between QR1,800 and QR2,000 for the beginning of the holy month. Last year, it was in the range of QR1,400 to QR1,800. Similarly, the cost for travelling by air is between QR5,500 and QR9,000 this year as against QR3,000 to QR7,000 last year,' said a travel agent.
Another travel agent The Peninsula talked to noted that bookings from expats were lesser than the last year. 'Performing Umrah in Ramadan is preferred by pilgrims but it is the compulsion of upcoming exams in schools that is compelling people to stay at homes. I think there will be a surge during summer vacations of schools, he added.
The cost of Umrah depends on numerous factors like the mode of travel (by road or by air), dates of travel, type of hotel, distance between the hotel and the Haram Sharif in Makkah etc.
Apart from final-term examinations slated to be held during Ramadan, some travel agents believe that additional visa fee of QR2,000 for performing a repeat Umrah in the same year was another factor barring people from availing Umrah packages.
This means a pilgrim from Qatar going for Umrah for the first time in a year has to pay only the normal charges QR300 while a second trip in the same year will be considered a 'repeat Umrah and the pilgrim will have to pay the QR2,000.
Abu Sara, a resident told The Peninsula that he had postponed his plan of performing Umrah in Ramadan due to exams of his kids. 'Though my kids' exams will conclude by the end of second week of June but my wife being a school teacher will have to do his duty in the whole month,' he added.
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