The cost of Hajj 2022 is causing controversy in Algeria. Indeed, the National Office of Hajj and Umrah announced on May 24 that the cost of the pilgrimage to the Holy Places of Islam this year 2022 is exactly 856,100 DA, ticket costs included.

A cost that was considered too expensive by many Algerians in the context of a general rise in the prices of consumer products and services.

The Algerian Federation of Consumers (FAC) echoed this grievance and sent a letter to the President of the Republic, requesting his intervention with a view to “revising” the tariff downwards.

In his letter, the president of the FAC, Zaki Hariz, called for reducing the price of the plane ticket from 150,000 DA to 50,000 DA while suggesting that the State bear the costs of accommodation and catering for pilgrims.

This question landed in the National People’s Assembly (APN) after a deputy questioned, this Saturday, May 28, the Minister of Religious Affairs and Wakfs.

Youcef Belmahdi took note of these new rates while acknowledging that a substantial increase has been recorded compared to previous years. According to the Minister, the rates offered by the Office of Hajj and Umrah are much lower than those offered by some Muslim countries to their nationals.

An increase of more than 300,000 DA since 2018

Between 2019 and 2022 – not counting the two seasons 2020 and 2021 in which the Algerians did not participate due to the Covid pandemic – the cost of the pilgrimage increased by 300,000 DA (1,500 euros).

Thus, the cost of the hajj in 2019 was 565,000 DA. This rate was already up slightly following the decision of the Saudi authorities to increase transport costs by more than 300%. In 2018, the price was 525,000 DA, including the price of transport.

In 2020, the hajj was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic and for the 2021 season, the Saudi authorities authorized only a few thousand of its vaccinated nationals to perform the great pilgrimage.