The Economics of Hajj

From a financial perspective too, the Hajj is extremely important. The religious event generates an estimated $12 billion per year for Saudi Arabia. As part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 roadmap to diversify its income streams and to become less dependent on oil, Saudi Arabia intends to boost its numbers of religious tourist arrivals for both the Hajj and the Umrah to 30 million pilgrims by 2030. The Umrah is a non-mandatory, lesser pilgrimage, which can be taken at any point in the year. These arrivals will provide a boost to the economy through money spent on food, travel, accommodation and other expenditures.

The rising cost of Hajj for pilgrims, estimated to amount to between $3,000 and $10,000 per person, depending on their location of origin, has been met with criticism, as it is making the journey unobtainable to many.

Another challenge the Kingdom faces is the rising temperatures. Officials predict that this year pilgrims can expect to see average highs of 44 degrees Celsius, or 111 degrees Fahrenheit. Scientists warn that if climate conditions worsen, the current mitigation tactics of misting systems and heat-reflective road coverings may not be enough.

For more data on the Hajj pilgrimage check out our report here.

Statista will also be releasing an additional report on the future of Hajj in the coming days.