The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is witnessing a significant rise in Umrah demand as Ramzan approaches, local media reported.
Travel agents recorded a 65 percent rise compared to previous months. Many buses full of pilgrims have departed from the UAE to Makkah.
According to Khaleej Times, Shebeen Rashid, a representative of Bait Al Ateeq Haj Services Company, confirmed that there has been a huge increase in Umrah bookings.
Other travel agents report that 50 pilgrims depart for Umrah every week. “Over a hundred buses depart from different parts of the country to Makkah every Wednesday. Each bus can accommodate nearly 50 passengers,” Jaffer Pulappatta, who facilitates groups for the Umrah pilgrimage told Khaleej Times.
Ramzan is usually the peak of the Umrah season. Umrah is a pilgrimage to Islam’s two holiest sites in the cities of Makkah and Madinah and can be performed at any time of the year. It is distinct from the Haj, which takes place once annually.
When is Ramzan 2022 in UAE?
The first day of the holy month of Ramzan 1443-2022 in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Algeria, Kuwait, the Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, Morocco and other Arab countries is predicted to fall on March 23 according to Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, a member of the International Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences.
On the other hand, Eid ul Fitr marks the end of the month-long fast. Eid ul Fitr is expected to begin on April 21.
The exact date of the start of Ramzan and Eid-ul-Fitr will be confirmed closer to the date, based on the moon-sighting tradition.
