The prices for UAE pilgrims travelling for Haj using the Haj packages are down by 50 percent as compared to that of last year.

According to the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, the UAE’s official body responsible for overseeing the country’s Haj services, “Over 6,200 Emiratis are expected to perform Haj in Saudi Arabia later this month as part of the UAE’s official national quota number for the pilgrimage.”

Haj is a religious pilgrimage that is performed by Muslims at least once in their lifetimes if they can afford the trip and also if they are able bodied.

“The UAE leadership is always eager to improve the services for the UAE’s Haj convoy and to make our pilgrims happy and to ensure that everything is easy for them. This year, we formed a committee early on to start our preparations and to make sure everything was ready for the UAE pilgrims going to Saudi Arabia,” said Mohammad Mattar Al Kaabi, chairman for the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments.

He further added,“ The total number of pilgrims from the UAE this year is 6,228, they will all be together in the UAE camp, which is a dedicated area just for Emirati pilgrims. The UAE convoy will be going to three places during the Haj — Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah.”

Commenting on the price packages, Al Kaabi said that, “The prices for Haj packages this year have been decreased by 50 percent compared to the year before, we want to have more price reductions for next year as well.”

Al Kaabi also said that, “There will be a monitoring committee that will be going with the UAE Haj convoy; their job is to check that everything in the UAE complex such as tents and accommodation are all okay and satisfactory for our pilgrims. We are going to receive daily reports and will be closely following up on any issues. If any pilgrim has any complaints, we will receive them directly.”

“Our main goal is to focus on ensuring the satisfaction of our pilgrims. We have already carried out a survey asking them for their opinions and until now the satisfaction rate we have is at 96 percent. We are pushing to eventually reach a satisfaction rate of 100 percent,” he added.

Al Kaabi also mentioned that, “There are more than 100 licensed Haj operators this year, with the authority instructing the operators to have a doctor and cleric with them. Each operator will have a doctor along with them in case there is any medical emergencies. The operators will also be accompanied by an Islamic scholar who will provide information to the pilgrims about Haj, its locations, and all the rites that are being performed.”