Ammon News - About 68,000 Jordanian pilgrims have performed Umrah (Lesser Pilgrimage) since beginning of the Hijri Umrah season that opened last August until now, head of the religious tourism committee at Jordan Society of Tourism and Travel Agents (JSTA), Belal Rubin, said on Saturday.

In a statement to "Petra," Rubin said citizens' demand for Umrah trips has been growing over the past five months, driven by school holidays and the appropriate and encouraging prices.

Expecting an increased demand for Umrah trips during the months of January and February 2023, he called on the concerned authorities to extend Sustainability Programme (Istidama) aimed to protect sector's workers and exempt pilgrimage and Umrah offices from licensing fees or reduce their amount.

He said price of land Umrah trip ranges between JD260-275 per person in the quadruple room, as the amount includes visa fees, accommodation and transportation by modern buses, while cost of air Umrah trip ranges from JD475-500 per person.

A total of 1,450 buses transported Umrah pilgrims by land during the past five months, he noted.