Reuters
- Saudi Arabia on Monday barred international visitors from completing the Hajj pilgrimage in July amid the coronavirus pandemic.
- The Hajj is worth around $6 billion to the Saudi government each year, and as over 70% of visitors come from abroad, the government is set to miss out on about $4 billion.
- Muslims of any nationality currently residing in Saudi Arabia are still permitted to embark on Hajj, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said.
- However, those going this year must be under 65 years old and will be tested upon arrival in Mecca, the Financial Times reported.
- This is the first time since 1932 — the year of Saudi Arabia's founding — that limitations have been placed on the annual pilgrimage.
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Saudi Arabia has barred Muslims around the world from traveling to the kingdom to compete the Hajj pilgrimage this year, a decision that will see it lose billions in revenue.
"It has been decided that Hajj for this year will be held whereby a very limited number of pilgrims from various nationalities who already reside in Saudi Arabia, would be able to perform it," the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said in a statement released Monday.
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