It is witnessing a season Pilgrimage This year, remarkable economic transformations, whether at the level of individuals or Islamic countries, amid a clear pursuit of the authorities to alleviate the financial burdens on pilgrims, and expand the scope of access through flexible payment programs, at a time when the total cost is still an obstacle to millions of Muslims.
The cost of performing the pilgrimage in 2025 ranges between 4 thousand and 20 thousand dollars, according to:
- The type of service provided.
- Duration of residence.
- Country of transmission.
These numbers are relatively high compared to the capacity of large segments of Muslims, which prompted governments like Pakistan And Saudi Arabia to introduce installments for payments with the aim of facilitating.
Installment of the cost of Hajj
In an important precedent, Pakistan adopted a program that allows pilgrims to pay their fees in three batches. Pakistani citizen Zuhair Ahmed told the Economic Times newspaper, saying: “I submitted the Hajj request in December, paid a payment payment, and then paid the remaining in February. If it were not for this program, I could never perform the obligatory.”
Saudi Arabia, in turn, applied a similar system to local pilgrims:
- 20% of the cost within 72 hours of reservation
- 40% in Ramadan
- 40% in the following month
These steps indicate a desire to open the door for Hajj for a greater number of those who want, without sacrificing economic ability.
Cost pressure reduces demand
Despite the allocation of 127,000 Hajj visas Bangladesh This year, however, the country was unable to fill the session, according to Farid Ahmed Mroud, Secretary -General of the Bangladeshi Hajj Agencies, who indicated that the main reason is the high costs and the inability of citizens to cover them, even with government incentives.
Other Islamic countries, such as Indonesia, suffer from long waiting lists that exceed 5.4 million people, while imposed India Restrictions on those who performed the pilgrimage in advance through the National Hajj Committee, in an attempt to provide an opportunity for a greater number of citizens.
Hajj market and economic dimension
According to the “Economic Times”, the Hajj season represents one of the most prominent seasonal economic seasons in Saudi Arabia and the Islamic world in general. The pilgrimage, according to independent estimates, is generated billions of dollars annually from direct and indirect services such as:
- Air and land transport
- Accommodation
- Services of subsistence and counseling
- Insurance and health services
- Bank transfers and payment means
However, this market faces double pressure this year: high operational costs, and the decline in the purchasing power of pilgrims under Inflation The global and the deterioration of currencies in several Islamic countries.
Organizational dimensions
In April 2025, Saudi Arabia stopped issuing short -term visas to 14 countries. The authorities justified this measure by the desire to organize the movement and reduce the numbers of unregistered pilgrims, who cannot reach basic facilities such as the air -conditioned accommodation.
In May, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced that the entry of Mecca without a regular pilgrimage visa would expose violators to a fine of 20,000 Saudi riyals (about 5330 dollars).
The ministry confirmed that a large percentage of Hajj deaths last year was among those who entered Mecca In irregular ways, without official registration, and therefore they were unable to benefit from health and logistical infrastructure.
Climate challenges
On the other hand, harsh climatic conditions are a direct threat to the health of pilgrims and infrastructure efficiency. Last year, more than 1300 deaths were recorded due to the heat that exceeded 47 degrees Celsius, while the heat this year ranges between 41 and 44 degrees since the beginning of June.
These conditions force the authorities to invest in additional equipment, such as the distribution of awareness -raising medical groups and the modernization of ambulances, which carries the local economy additional costs to secure safety.