2010-03-02 - (MENAFN) - Umrah service providers in the Kingdom expect a substantial increase in the number of foreign pilgrims who will come for Umrah this year. The Haj Ministry has already issued more than 150,000 visas since the beginning of this year's Umrah season. Moreover, hotels and furnished apartments in Makkah are witnessing 100 percent occupancy. According to one source, revenue from Umrah traffic are expected to reach SR12 billion by the end of the year. The peak season for the noncompulsory pilgrimage is Ramadan. The increase in occupancy was not limited to five-star or three-star hotels but covered furnished apartments in Makkah's central region. A business analyst said the services being offered by Umrah companies have played a big role in attracting a large number of pilgrims this year. This will help them offset the losses they suffered last year as result of the global recession and the impact of swine flu. 

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