Non-Saudi Umrah companies are charging pilgrims in Saudi riyals to avoid losses from decline in the value of other currencies.
According to Umrah performers, most travel agencies offer Umrah trips with a high cost in Saudi riyal to avoid sharp decline in currencies of Arab spring countries.
Umrah trips are usually organized in the Middle East through travel agencies where the payment should be in the currency of the country that present the offer. For example, Umrah performers from Egypt must pay the cost of Umrah in Egyptian pounds. This year, many agencies decided to get paid in Saudi riyals.
Souad Jamalawi, an Egyptian Umrah pilgrim, told Arab News that the cost of Umrah trip with a 4-star hotel booking was estimated at 3,000 Egyptian pounds in 2010. This year she paid about 7,000 Egyptians pounds for the trip.
“We paid in Saudi riyals when the company refused to take the payment in Egyptian pounds,” Jamalawi said. “The cost in Saudi riyals comes to SR4,000, which is considered reasonable here in the Kingdom. But when we change it into the Egyptian pound, it works out very expensive.”
Hamed Al-Shra’abi, a Yemeni Umrah performer, said that when he usually pays for an Umrah trip, he pays in Yemeni riyals. But this year the travel agency asked him to pay in Saudi riyals.
“In the past, I was paying a total of SR4,000 that equals to 228,761 Yemeni riyals, but this year I paid SR6,000 which equals to 343,142 Yemeni riyals,” Al-Shra’abi said.
He added: “We know why companies are looking to get paid in Saudi riyals, as we know how the recent revolutions had affected the currency market in Arab Spring countries.”
Fatima bint Saeid, a Tunisian who visits the Kingdom every three years to perform Umrah, said that her travel agency asked her to pay in US dollars or Saudi riyals. She said that in the past she was paying in Tunisian dinar.
“The total cost of Umrah trip in Tunisia is usually estimated at 1,200 Tunisian dinars,” Saeid said. “This year, the travel agency asked me to pay SR5,500, which equals to 2,400 Tunisian dinars. I know how the economic situation is hard in Tunisia and the currency market is very unstable, but it is unfair to ask us to pay in other currencies.”
She added: “We found it difficult to exchange the money especially when the Tunisian dinar is going down because of the unstable political situation.”
Payment in Saudi riyal rankles Arab pilgrims
Payment in Saudi riyal rankles Arab pilgrims
Pakistan confers second-highest civilian award on Saudi commerce minister for strengthening ties
- Ambassador Ahmad Farooq confers Hilal-e-Pakistan on Majid Al-Kassabi in Riyadh
- Award reflects the depth of the longstanding partnership and strong trade relations between the Kingdom and Pakistan
RIYADH: Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Kingdom Ahmad Farooq has conferred the country’s second-highest civilian award on Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce Majid Al-Kassabi for his role in strengthening ties between Islamabad and Riyadh, Pakistan’s Embassy in Saudi Arabia said.
Farooq presented the Hilal-e-Pakistan to Al-Kassabi during a meeting in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The parties also discussed ways to enhance bilateral trade relations.
“On behalf of the president of Pakistan, Ambassador Ahmad Farooq conferred the Hilal-e-Pakistan on Majid Al-Kassabi, minister of commerce of Saudi Arabia, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to strengthening Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations,” the embassy wrote on X.
The award reflects the depth of the longstanding partnership and strong trade relations between the Kingdom and Pakistan and serves as an impetus to further strengthen joint cooperation for the benefit of both countries and their peoples, the SPA reported.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia enjoy cordial ties that date back decades and include cooperation in several sectors such as defense, trade, economy, agriculture, livestock and minerals.
Saudi Arabia is the largest source of foreign remittances to Pakistan, with over 2 million Pakistani expats residing in the Kingdom. Riyadh has also helped Pakistan during several economic crises over the years, providing oil on deferred payments and loans in critical times.
The two countries signed a landmark strategic partnership agreement in September 2025, according to which an act of aggression against one country will be seen as an attack on both.
