JAKARTA - In recent years, the phenomenon of Umrah plus tourism has become increasingly popular among the people of Indonesia.
Umrah is now seen not only as a form of worship, but also as part of a spiritual experience equipped with cultural exploration in other countries such as Turkey or other Middle Eastern countries.
Interestingly, this trend is actually increasing in the midst of economic conditions that are not yet fully stable and the exchange rate of foreign currencies is high. The community still shows high enthusiasm to go to the holy land.
"God willing, for these guests, their intention is not to go to the Holy Land because they hope that their Umrah will double their sustenance," said Annisa Zulfida Umasugi, President Director of Ventour Travel, at the Ventour Award 2025 in Jakarta, recently.
According to Annisa, Umrah is increasingly in demand because of the waiting time for regular Hajj which can reach more than 20 years in Indonesia. Many prospective pilgrims finally turn to Umrah as a solution to still be able to carry out worship in the Holy Land without having to wait too long.
"They prefer Umrah because of its acceleration. And if it's added with leisure like going to Turkey, it's actually more in demand lately," he added.
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Along with this change in trend, Umrah travel industry players have also begun to adjust their approach. Education for pilgrims is an aspect that is increasingly emphasized both in terms of rituals, local culture in Saudi Arabia, to practical matters such as weather and dress ethics.
"We will inform in detail how the weather is there. In the summer, we educate pilgrims to bring umbrellas, thin clothes, and medicines," explained Annisa. She also added the importance of understanding dress norms in Saudi Arabia, Because mostly in Saudi Arabia the culture uses black, we don't force them to wear other colors, but we still convey relevant information.
Meanwhile, the implementation of the pilgrimage also faces its own challenges, especially related to the Furoda visa on the invited route which allows departures without long queues. Until mid-2025, the system for this visa is said to have not been fully active.
Until now, the Furoda visa system has not been on. But for regular Hajj from the government, thank God it's been running," explained Annisa.
This condition makes Umrah again the main choice for many people who want to worship the Holy Land immediately. Coupled with program flexibility and travel offers which are now more varied, the trend of Umrah plus tourism seems to continue to grow in the future.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
