Umrah pilgrims are seen in the courtyard of the Grand Mosque in Makkah. — Archives MAKKAH – Local Umrah performers have complained about soaring hotel room and residential unit prices in Makkah during Ramadan and said that prices are unusually higher than at other times of the year. However, the National Committee for Haj and Umrah (NCHU) said that it is normal that businessmen increase prices during Ramadan so that they can cover the cost of hotel operations and make a profit on the money they have invested. Saleh Al-Mutlaq, an Umrah performer from Riyadh, said, “I've been coming to Makkah to perform Umrah every Ramadan for the past 40 years. Prices of hotels near the Grand Mosque have skyrocketed. It cost my mother and me around SR130,000 to stay for one month in Makkah during Ramadan. In the past, an apartment near the Grand Mosque would cost you less than SR25,000. I think these soaring prices will go down once Makkah development projects have been completed and there will an equilibrium between supply and demand.” Al-Mutlaq said that the spiritual moments one spends next to the Grand Mosque and the services available nearby are priceless. Umm Thamir, an Umrah performer from Jeddah, said, “Every year, I spend the last 10 days of Ramadan in Makkah. Prices have increased dramatically. A two-person room with Iftar and Sahoor costs SR39,900 for 10 days.” Hanan Muhammad, from Sharqiya, agreed that prices are too high in the central area surrounding the Grand Mosque. “My husband and I paid around SR10,000 to stay three days in a hotel room that did not include Iftar and Sahoor.” Munirah Mubarak, from Al-Ahsa, said, “Although I reserved the room in July, it cost me SR400 per night and it was in a three-star hotel far from the Grand Mosque. According to the contract, we should've been provided by transportation but none was given. Due to the heavy traffic and lack of transportation, we had to walk to the Grand Mosque.” Abdulrahman Muhammad and his friends who came from Al-Baha said that they used public transportation to get to the Grand Mosque and sometimes they would take microbuses. However, Sa'ad Jameel Al-Qurashi, NCHU Chairman, said, “It's normal to see an increase in prices at this time of the year. This is a big season for hotels and residential units. Businessmen have invested a lot of money and they want to realize a return on their investments.”
