trip Umrah package rates are coming back to normal after recording an all-time high of SR300 and above during the last 10 days of holy month of Ramadan. Currently, the Umrah rates that include to and fro transport from Riyadh and hotel accommodation in the holy cities dropped to SR100 for a three-day package tour. The operators are charging SR150 for a five-day package for a round-trip to Makkah and Madina from Riyadh. However, the package rates are yet to come back to the normal SR90 for a three-day tour to Makkah and Madina and SR130 for a five-day trip. According to tour operators the Umrah rates will drop to the normal level when schools reopen next week after the long summer vacation. Muhammad Abdu of Shawkani for Haj and Umrah said a large number of people are staying in the two holy cities and waiting for schools to reopen. “The people will start leaving the two holy cities by this weekend, as the schools will reopen from Saturday,” said Abdu. Umrah tour operators had a hectic activity during the last 10 days of Ramadan, when the demand from people opting to spend their time in the two holy cities increased substantially. The Umrah rates from Riyadh to Makkah and Madina had touched all-time high of SR300 for a three-day package tour. According to Haj and Umrah tour operators the huge demand from prospective Umrah pilgrims pushed the round-trip rates. Many tour operators have stopped taking bookings after the end of Ramadan, because of the drop in demand. A large number of offices of Umrah operators were seen closed, an obvious sign of drop in demand from Umrah pilgrims. The operators that started taking bookings for a three-day will start package trip from this Wednesday. According to Umrah companies some tens of thousands of people from Riyadh traveled to Makkah and Madina during Ramadan. The demand from intending pilgrims declined during the first week of Shawwal, they said. __
