BR News Desk
Srinagar: Umrah tour operators of Kashmir are witnessing a 70 percent loss in their business as the number of pilgrims offering Umrah has massively declined in the holy month of Ramadan.
Post Covid, Kashmir, for the first time witnessed a heavy rush of people performing Umrah this year as more than 40,000 people went on pilgrimage during winter.
Umrah service provider claimed that they are suffering heavy losses despite investing a huge sum in the prebooking of hotels and airline tickets.
“During winter at least 40,000 people from Kashmir performed Umrah. We were all set for Ramadan as many prefer to pilgrimage during the month to earn more rewards. But only 1500 pilgrims are going for Umrah this month which is a big loss for the umrah service providers,” said Sheikh Feroz , president of Jammu and Kashmir Association of Hajj Umrah Companies.
Feroz said that the Umrah service providers had made all arrangements which included blocking airline tickets in advance and hotel rooms in the holy city of Makkah and Madinah.
“Umrah service providers were expecting at least 80,000 pilgrims from Kashmir this Ramadan. In rest of the states and countries, people are going for pilgrimage in heavy numbers but the number has come down unexpectedly this month in Kashmir,” he said.
Feroz said this Ramadan, the hoteliers and other service providers have hiked rates in both the holy cities. “This is understandable but we didn’t expect this much of fall in the number of pilgrims. The Umrah service providers are unable to bear these losses,” he said.
Pertinently, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has issued new guidelines for pilgrims wishing to perform Umrah during Ramadan.
The ministry retreated recently that pilgrims are no longer allowed to repeat Umrah and can only perform it once during the holy month. This move is to ensure that all pilgrims who wish to perform Umrah during Ramadan have the opportunity to do so with ease and comfort.
