JEDDAH: There will be a 60 percent increase in Egyptian Haj pilgrims coming with tourism companies this year despite the threat of swine flu and a ban on anyone below 14 and over 65 performing the Haj, said Maj. Gen. Salah Hashim, head of the Egyptian Haj mission.

Workers in the Haj and Umrah service sector told Arab News that Egyptian Tourism Minister Mohamed Zoheir Garana is now allowing tourism companies to receive 12,000 Haj visas in addition to the 20,000 visas that they have been getting annually for the past five years.

Egypt has only been using 55,000 of its 75,000 visa quota.

As a result of the minister’s decision, the number of Haj pilgrims coming through tourist firms will increase from 20,000 to 32,000. Adel Farid, chairman of the Egyptian Religious Tourism Committee, said that of the 55,000 visas, 20,000 were given to the public through a draw, 20,000 to tourism companies, 10,000 to official Haj missions and 5,000 to private organizations.

Farid said the minister’s decision would not only increase tourism companies’ share of Haj visas but could also hike the price for selling Haj visas to 12,000 Egyptian pounds ($2,170) per visa.

Analysts believe the decision would lead to a privatization of Haj in Egypt, as new visas would go to tourist companies.

Garana had previously called for an increase in Haj visas given to tourist companies, a liberalization of Haj flight charges and a lifting in restrictions on tourism firms.