Airline, airport, hotel, destination, visa, and Muslim travel updates from Irhal.
The airline marks Philadelphia as its 14th destination in North America NEW YORK, NY, USA – Qatar Airways has reconnected Doha and Philadelphia with the launch of a daily non-stop flight between Hamad International Airport (DOH) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), its 14th destination in North America, which resumed on 1 August 2026.
Read full storyThis summer, Central Shopping Centers invites international visitors to experience the best of shopping, dining, and leisure with Summer Holiday 2026, running from 20 July – 30 September 2026. Created exclusively for international tourists, the campaign offers shopping privileges across Thailand’s five world-class shopping malls: centralwOrld, Central Park…
Read full storyThe Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board, in cooperation with tourism associations, have launched the integrated digital platform "Ahlan Jordan" as part of measures to support the tourism sector and address the impact of regional circumstances on travel activity.
Read full storyflydubai, the Dubai-based carrier, has increased its daily operations between Dubai and Naples and is set to boost its flights to Milan-Bergamo to a double-daily operation from 31 July, enhancing passenger connectivity to Italy.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – July 28, 2026: The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has announced that Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum of modern and contemporary art, will open its doors on 11 December 2026 at Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi.
Warner Bros. World™ Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, the region's largest indoor theme park, is inviting guests to place themselves in the hands of one of DC's most iconic Super-Villains, as Kryptonite Collider officially opens.
Malaysia Retains No. 1 Position in Global Muslim Travel Index 2025, Offering GCC Travellers a Summer of Festivals, Culture and Discovery.
The Dubai-based carrier announces the start of daily flights to Aleppo from 20 July, reaffirming its connectivity to opening underserved markets Aleppo becomes the carrier’s second destination in Syria alongside Damascus
What if the most valuable thing you brought home from a trip wasn’t an object, but a story? Northern Thailand is home to dozens of ethnic communities who have carried their identities across mountains and borders for centuries – and many of them welcome curious, respectful visitors.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) today launched the search for the 7 Contemporary Wonders of the World, a global initiative designed to identify and celebrate the landmarks and buildings created since 1801 that have had the greatest impact on Travel & Tourism, local communities and economic development, and continue to redefine the future of destin…
Luxury travel today is no longer measured by how much you can see in a few days, but by how deeply you can experience a destination. At Le Méridien Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort, guests are invited to embrace this philosophy through Long Stay Beach Escape, an exclusive package designed for travelers who wish to enjoy more of Phuket's culture, wellness, and f…
Read full storyTwo hotels, three ways to stay, and one summer campaign inviting guests to choose their own scene across Paramount Hotel Midtown and Paramount Hotel Dubai
Read full storySharjah Museums Offer an Integrated Summer Experience Blending Culture, Science, and Discovery for All Community Members
Read full storyNew five-day programme empowers young people to build confidence, resilience and lifelong skills while embracing active lifestyles
Read full storyAcross Five Museums with Interactive Museum Programmes Enriching Children’s Knowledge
Read full storyOceans of Lights Festival returns to SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi in its third edition to offer a summer program full of activities and new experiences
Read full storyJuly 2026, Yerevan, Armenia: Armenia has extended its temporary visa-free entry arrangement, keeping the country within easy reach for eligible travellers from across the Gulf for a further year. The arrangement now runs until 1 July 2027.
Read full storyJuly 2026, Yerevan, Armenia: The competent Armenian authorities announced the extension of the temporary decision exempting eligible travelers from GCC countries from prior visa entry for an additional year, making the decision effective until July 1, 2027. This decision aims to facilitate travel procedures and tourism movement and exchange between Armenia and the Arab Gulf region, allowing travelers…
Read full storySet within Khalid Lagoon, the island shows how Sharjah brings art, nature and design into everyday public life.
Read full storyBlending cultural discovery with elevated wellness and leisure experiences, World of Hyatt summer destinations offer GCC travelers seasonal getaways across the GCC, Africa and Europe.
Read full storyAbu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – June 30, 2026: Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi has officially been awarded the Guinness World Records™ title for the most waterslides in a waterpark, featuring a record-breaking collection of 55 slides.
Read full storyExperience the Colours of Malaysia at Citrawarna 2026 This Summer
Read full storyGermany is an ideal destination for friends traveling together, thanks to its creative neighborhoods, vibrant markets, street food culture, and stunning natural retreats
Read full storyFollowing the launch of its first collaboration in 2025, the Jacquemus brand returns this summer to the Monte Carlo Beach Club with a new design that reimagines the coastal atmosphere with a contemporary spirit. The design evokes the spirit of 1950s beach clubs, where elegance meets the calm Mediterranean lifestyle.
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June 22 - The sixth annual print edition of one of Oman’s tourism publication, Destination Oman, was released on Monday by Dr Rajiha bint Abdul Amir bin Ali, Minister of Tourism, aptly timed with the Khareef season in Oman. The book that contains lots of pictures is wildly popular and is considered to be a reliable source of information on Oman tourism. The works of renowned international photographers such…
June 22 - Riyadh is leading the hospitality market in Saudi Arabia, said a report released by real estate investment and advisory firm, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL). According to the report, occupancy levels for good hotels went up to 69 per cent at the end of the second quarter this year. This is a 7 percent increase from last year’s occupancy rate of 62 percent. "Business and government travellers drive the…
June 22- The Lebanon airport has increased the airport tax by 10 per cent which, Tourism Minister Fadi Abboud stated, will give rise to modern advertising promotions for the country. The tax was endorsed by the cabinet on Friday. Abboud added that the tourism ministry’s budget for 2010 had gone up to $3 million as opposed to $1 million in 2009. The new campaign would focus on Russia, Germany, Austria,…
June 21 - Gulf Air officials on Sunday said that their newly introduced routes will increase flight frequencies around the Middle East and the airline’s performance will inevitably improve. Earlier this month, Gulf Air launched a service to Alexandria (June 2), Aleppo, Syria, (June 15) and Madinah (June 17). "These are new moves towards regaining our status as a regional and subsequently as an…
June 21 - British Airways (BA) bookings for scheduled flights from the UAE have gone down by 50 per cent this summer because of cabin crew strikes. Adeel Ahmed, Supervisor of the Outbound Department at Belhasa Tourism and Travel in Dubai said when bookings for this summer are compared to those earlier this year before industrial action began the difference is almost half. “We do tell [passengers] about the…
June 21 - Tunisian airline Sevenair is all set to start regular flights between Tunis and Naples from June 29. Flights will be operate twice a week on Tuesdays and Saturdays, said a statement issued last week. The new flight is yet another endeavour by the company to establish itself internationally and venture into new markets. The new service will also enhance the capacities of Italian tour operators in…
June 21 - The municipality opened on Saturday a new park in Jeddah's northern Dhahban district, part of the "100 Parks in 100 Weeks" initiative. The 25,000-square-meter park is named "Jewel of the Bride," a reference to Jeddah's nickname, "Bride of the Red Sea." "This park has been equipped with all necessary facilities, including sitting areas and lighting poles to add to the pleasant atmosphere…
June 21 - Investors in Jordan on Saturday launched a tourism project in the Dead Sea that is focused around Islamic architecture and values. The project, with an estimated cost of $100 million, is called Al Buhayra and will have the largest lagoon in the region. The resort will have 1,000 suites and will be developed by Sama Jordan for Investment, Real Estate and Tourism Development and Jordan Agriculture…
June 21 - Dubai Marina Yacht Club won the “Innovation and Excellence” award in the Marine and Marina Management category at The World of Yachts Recognition Awards for Excellence 2010 this Saturday. The ceremony was held in Beirut at the sixth Beirut Boat Show 2010 and consisted of jury from professionals in the marine and yachting business. Speaking on the occasion, Phil Blake, Senior Marine…
June 20 - The Saudi tourism sector appears to be doing well and the kingdom’s authorities are going the extra mile to improve the travel and hospitality sector even further. Earlier this month Prince Sultan Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), addressed the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in UK that provides a meeting point between the Islamic…
June 20 - BankMuscat and Oman Air signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday to promote each other’s products and services to its customers. The MoU is just an extension of the bank’s commitment towards expanding its services. The agreement was signed by Sulaiman al Harthy, Group Deputy General Manager, Consumer Banking, on behalf of BankMuscat and AbdulRazaq Jumaa al Raisi, General Manager --…
Saturday, June 19 - The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) launched the Sharjah Summer Promotions 2010 today with various promotional and cultural events. The campaign is being held in collaboration with several government departments and will run till July 20. The aim of the campaign is to kick start business activities at malls and traditional marketplaces and is being held simultaneously…
Saturday, June 19 - Abu Dhabi based Cristal Hotels and Resorts is planning to build eight hotels in China as part of an expansion drive in Asia aimed at tapping markets in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and mainland China. The news comes as the hotel company takes part in the Asia Luxury Travel Market exhibition and conference in Shanghai to assess opportunities in the region. Cristal Hotels…
Saturday, June 19 - Dubai’s first low cost carrier, flydubai, launched flights to the ancient capital of Turkey yesterday, its 18th destination. Flight FZ751 landed at Sabiha International Gocken International Airport in Istanbul at 2250 hours. Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai, said “Istanbul is one of the most popular destinations for UAE residents who are seeking a short break. With a wealth of…
June 17 - The Hideaways Club, an international property investment fund, on Wednesday said that it is launching a new project for the GCC. Launched in 2007 by Mike Balfour, who was earlier the chairman of the world’s largest health club operation Fitness First, The Hideaways Club is now the largest club of its kind in Europe with more than 150 members and 27 solely-owned multi-million dollar luxury properties…
June 17 - British Airways has given away business class tickets worth Dh6.5 million to 30 small- and medium-sized enterprises in the UAE in order to encourage entrepreneurship in a tight economy. According to an airline spokesperson, the move will help businesses to stimulate growth. Over 300 companies applied for a British Airways Business Opportunity Grant and those who won include restaurants,…
June 17 - Air India and its sister low-cost airline, Air India Express, is planning to add more flights to the Gulf region, increasing capacity by 15 percent. In fact, the airline also plans to use the newly leased aircraft on the Gulf routes, thus ‘letting go’ of the old Airbus 320s. "We will be leasing new aircraft. The proposal is for five," Arvind Jhadav, Chairman and Managing Director of National…
June 17 - Dubai-based low-cost carrier Flydubai has added the ninth Boeing 737-800NG to its fleet. The aircraft landed at the Dubai International Airport’s terminal 2 last night and will be used on the Dubai-Istanbul route. Flydubai’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith said: "The arrival of a ninth aircraft is testament to the planning and hard work of the team and shows Flydubai's dedication to providing the highest…
June 17 - The Mayor of Amman, Omar Maani, inaugurated the "Your Park" project in Al-Naser region at an estimated cost of JD110,000. The project is the brainchild of a student named Yasmeen Abu Taleb at the Amman Baccalaureate School. Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, Maani praised the public and private sectors for being so committed to serving the community. He also said that the Greater Amman…
June 17 - Dubai hopes to attract over 500,000 Saudi tourists by the end of this year, said Talal Al-Suwaidi, a Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DDTCM) at a the Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) press conference at the Four Seasons Hotel in Riyadh. "Saudis are still ranked the first among the residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries visiting Dubai. Last year we…
June 16 - A new classification system will hit Abu Dhabi’s hotels by 2011, said tourism chiefs in the UAE capital on Tuesday. Inspection visits will start by August. According to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA), hotels and hotel apartments in the emirate will have a new classification, and will be rated on the basis of stars while apartments will be classified as deluxe, superior or standard. "This…
June 16 - Air traffic movements in UAE increased by 12.3 percent in April, hitting 54,000 as compared to 48,000 air movements in May 2009, said an official of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Air traffic movements were the highest in May as compared to the preceding months in 2010. Total air traffic movements in the first five months of 2010 were 260,000 as compared to 233,000 last year, thus…
June 16 - Sharjah’s low-cost carrier Air Arabia announced on Tuesday that it would offer additional flights to Amman, Damascus and Alexandria in June and July this year. The increase in flights is the result of growing demand for low-cost travel across the Middle East. Additional flights to Amman will operate on June 21, June 26, June 29 and July 3. To Damascus, additional flights will begin on June 24, June…
June 16 - The number of tourists that arrived at Dubai’s Port Rashid Cruise Terminal has gone up by 55,000 in the cruise season that ended yesterday, as compared to the seasons last year, said an official at the Ministry of Interior. The cruise tourism season in Dubai runs from September to June. "The number of tourists who came through Port Rashid in the latest season is 220,000 compared to 165,000 in…
