MINISTER in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Mohd Na’im Mokthar said he will address the issue of rising hotel prices in Makkah and Madinah with Saudi Arabia’s haj and umrah minister.

He said this in a Facebook post following a report about an increase in pilgrimage package prices, due to a higher costs incurred in Saudi Arabia.

“I fully understand that this matter has raised concern among umrah pilgrims to some extent. However, as we all know, this is beyond our control.

“It certainly has an impact, not only on Malaysian pilgrims but also those from other countries,” said Na’im, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to attend the Haj and Umrah Services Conference 2023. 

Previously, a report surfaced, advising umrah and haj pilgrims to be prepared for a last-minute price increases by their respective travel agencies before leaving for the Holy Land.

According to the report, this was caused by the sudden increase in room rates triggered by surging demands for hotel accommodation in both Makkah and Madinah. – Bernama, January 9, 2023.