Khaberni - Bilal Rubain, spokesperson for the Association of Travel and Tourism Agents, confirmed that there is a demand for Umrah trip programs with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, despite a 5% increase in trip prices.
Rubain explained that the current season is performing better and more active compared to previous years despite the difficult economic conditions faced by many citizens, according to Al-Ghad newspaper.
He added, "The noticeable turnout for Umrah trips in the early days of the holy month is because many citizens consider performing Umrah during Ramadan a priority."
Rubain noted that the high cost of living has impacted the pattern of Umrah trips this season, as some families have chosen to shorten the duration of the trip while others have decided to postpone it to less busy times to save money, anticipating lower costs during off-peak periods.
Regarding price levels, Rubain clarified that Umrah programs by bus start at 225 Jordanian Dinars, which are the economic land trips to Mecca only, registering a 5% increase.
Rubain continued that price levels in air travel programs for the economic class have risen by 5%, starting at approximately 450 Jordanian Dinars at the beginning of the blessed month.
He explained that the prices of Umrah trips during the current period compared to last Ramadan are generally higher due to increased costs of flights and accommodation during the peak season of Ramadan, in addition to increased pressure on bookings at the start of the month.
Rubain advised Jordanians to opt for early booking, which usually reduces the cost relatively compared to bookings during the last ten days when prices rise more significantly, posing a challenge and barrier for citizens.
Rubain warned against dealing with unlicensed pages or strange and fictitious offers that will cause problems in organization or services provided, so it is necessary to deal with licensed companies.
Rubain estimated the number of Jordanian pilgrims who went to perform Umrah rituals since the beginning of the current month of Ramadan based on advance booking at about 140,000 pilgrims.
It should be noted that there are 225 specialized travel and tourism offices spread across various regions of the kingdom.
The number of Jordanians traveling abroad for tourism purposes declined last year by about 2.2%, reaching 1.638 million travelers compared to the year 2024, which registered about 1.675 million travelers.
