The ongoing Iran-US war has increased the cost of travel for pilgrims heading to Saudi Arabia for this year's Hajj, with airfares and travel packages rising sharply across several countries. Higher fuel prices and disruptions to air traffic in the Gulf have pushed up travel expenses for millions of pilgrims preparing for one of Islam's most important religious obligations.
In Egypt, which has the largest Muslim population in the Middle East, average airfare for Hajj travellers has increased to 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($956) from 30,000 pounds, according to the country's tourism federation, according to a Bloomberg report. Hajj travel packages have also become more expensive, rising by 30%, with some packages reaching 90,000 pounds compared with 70,000 pounds earlier.
