Hajj pilgrimage continues to get more expensive

Baku/16.03.23/Turan: The Caucasus Muslims Department (CMD) announced the receipt of applications for the Hajj pilgrimage in 2023. This year Azerbaijani pilgrims will be able to visit the holy places only by flights.

The cost of the trip per person will be $5,750 (9,775 manat). About 1,080 pilgrims from Azerbaijan are expected to go to the Hajj this year. The restriction on pilgrimage for people over 65 years old has been lifted from this year.

Receipt of documents is carried out in the Caucasus Muslims Department at the address: 7, Mirza Fatali street, Baku.

Reception of documents is planned to start from 17 March. It is necessary to submit copies of passport and ID card, four 3.5 x 4.5 cm colour photos on white background, and a medical certificate on the state of health, the UMC said in a statement.

The 2023 Hajj will begin in late June/early July.

As a reminder, in 2022, 680 pilgrims left Azerbaijan for Hajj. The price of the trip was US $5,356 (9,106 manats). This year, the cost of Hajj has gone up by about $400.

Note that Hajj prices are unaffordable for average and low-income population of the country. The fact that the prices are many times higher than the incomes of the majority of the population makes the pilgrimage accessible only to the selected and wealthy.

At the same time, local travel companies offer 7-day trips to Mecca for the Umrah (short hajj) pilgrimage for between $1,100 and $1,400, depending on the cost of the hotel.

In the last 10-12 years, the cost of a pilgrimage to Mecca from Azerbaijan has cost $3,000, an increase of around 90%. -0-