JEDDAH: Most local Haj companies have stopped taking bookings because they have no more space for pilgrims. A total of 190,000 Haj permits have been issued to locals this year, as at Tuesday Nov. 9, according to the Passports Department. This is compared to only 68,000 permits issued in 2009 to domestic pilgrims and those from neighboring Gulf states, according to reports. Last year a number of people did not go on Haj because of swine flu fears. The companies have stopped taking bookings even though the Passports Department has given people until Nov. 13 to apply for permits. “Last year it was very easy, but this year the number of domestic pilgrims have increased. All the Haj operators closed registration for pilgrims almost two weeks ago. It is jam-packed this year,” said Khalid Mustafa from the Al-Usar Haj group. “It's better to avoid Haj this year because of the increase in the number of pilgrims,” he added. Mansoor Siddique from Allauddin Siddiqui Haj group said they also closed their registration almost a week ago. “This year I think a record number of local pilgrims are performing Haj,” he said. A local resident, Mohammed Azhar, who wants to perform Haj, told Saudi Gazette that he has tried in vain to book a place. “Wherever I went they told me they had already closed the registration a week ago. At the moment they are giving Haj permits to pilgrims who are related to each other.” He admitted that he decided late to apply because he thought that the group that brought his mother for Haj would help him get a permit. According to the Ministry of Haj there are almost 235 Haj companies or operators in the Kingdom. According to reports, the price of Haj has increased. A budget Haj costs between SR3,000 and SR4,000, a standard Haj between SR7,000 and SR8,000, and a VIP Haj between SR50,000 and SR70,000 per person.
