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RIYADH, Nov 8: Saudi Arabia raised $16.5 billion from Haj and Umra this year, a Saudi newspaper reported on Thursday.
Al-Hayat, citing religious tourism sources, said a total of 12 million pilgrims visited Islam’s holiest sites during the Haj this year as well as Umra.
The pilgrims — including 3.1 million who made the Haj, including 1.7m from abroad, according to official figures — spent 62 billion riyals ($16.5bn), a rise of 10 per cent over 2011 because of increased costs, it said.—AFP
