Saudi Arabia is likely to receive more than SR70 billion ($18.6 billion) in revenues from this year’s Haj and Umrah seasons, according to a report.

There are positive indicators for enhanced Haj revenues, reported the Arab News, citing an expert.
 
“This is thanks to the nine million pilgrims who will have performed Haj and Umrah this year, Abdullah Al-Marzoouq, a professor of Haj economy at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, was quoted as saying in the report.

The expert also called for greater efforts to create more job opportunities for Saudis during the Haj and Umrah seasons.

The Ministry of Haj, meanwhile, has implemented a plan to crack down on fake Haj operators who fleece customers by collecting money for Haj in advance and then vanish without a trace, said the report.

Bogus operators often shut down their offices and keep their mobiles switched off, leaving their victims in the lurch.