Hajj and Umrah companies spokesperson, Kamal Abu Diab, said that resuming travels to perform Umrah by land will contribute to a decrease in trips costs and will increase citizens’ demand to perform Umrah, as the trip’s cost currently ranges between JD280 to JD300.
Abu Diab told Jordan News Agency (Petra) that the decision to resume Umrah trips by land will positively impact the land transport sector and Hajj and Umrah companies that have been suspended for nearly two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The high cost of air flights, which amounted to JD600, was the reason behind the low demand for travel to perform Umrah, he added.
He attributed the slight increase in the land trips’ prices to the new instructions issued by Saudi Arabia, which stipulate that housing should only be in double rooms, not quadruple rooms.
On Tuesday, the first visa for a Jordanian pilgrim was issued through land ports, as companies approved by the Awqaf Ministry began receiving citizens and exporting Umrah visas to them by land, Abu Diab noted.
He called on stakeholders to exclude Jordanian pilgrims returning by land from the Covid-19 “BCR” test, explaining that the Umrah trip days by land is 11, and that the government decision exempted those who received two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from conducting the “BCR” test if their trip lasted less than 10 days.
Abu Diab also called on citizens to deal with Hajj and Umrah companies approved by the ministry, and avoid dealing with brokers, pay them money and hand them passports.
SOURCE: JORDAN NEWS AGENCY