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 7 - Luxury air travel has slowed down significantly because of the global recession, and carriers are making extra efforts to lure clients back. Many people sitting at the front of the plane have only paid for the back of the plane and been upgraded, experts say, and internet savvy travelers do their bargain hunting online. “Luxury air travel has essentially been grounded. One of the first prerequisites to…
June 7 - The latest round of British Airways (BA) strikes this week means a loss of £7 million (Dh37.2m) for the airline per day, it was learnt on Monday. In fact, the airline has recorded a 5.8 percent drop in passenger loads from the Middle East region in its financial year-to-date, which begins April. The airline carried a 66.9 percent load for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region in April-May 2010, down…
June 7 - A 66-year-old German man died on an Emirates flight en route from Dubai to Bangkok on Saturday. As a result, the plane had to be diverted to New Dehli’s IGI Airport, said the airline on Sunday. The pilot of flight number EK375 declared an emergency after the man stopped breathing. The plane landed at IGI airport at around 12.50pm, where medical crew were waiting and the man was declared dead on…
June 7 - National carrier Oman Air celebrated it recently launched flights to Lahore and Islamabad in a grand ceremony. The event was held at Serena Hotel in Islamabad and at the Pearl Continental Lahore. Peter Hill, Oman Air’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) said, "I am very pleased to finally be able to open this route officially. Lahore and Islamabad represents our 36th and 37th destinations respectively, and…
June 7 - Emirates Airline received its 10th Airbus A380, worth $346 million on Sunday, making this the seventh plane delivered by the Airbus so far this year. Airbus plans to deliver at least 20 A380s this year. Emirates has placed orders worth $55 billion in orders with Airbus and Boeing and announced in May that it would take delivery of seven A380s and one Boeing 777 in 2010 to 2011.
June 7 - Movenpick Hotels announced on Sunday that there will be 800 new rooms for its Hajar Tower Makkah property to meet accommodate Hajj pilgrims this year. The new rooms will offer exclusive views of the Ka’aba and Haram. This will put the total number of available rooms in the property to 1,200. “We will reach our full room capacity of 1,200 rooms by mid August this year, just in time for the holy month of…
June 6 - Fujairah Airport is close to signing an agreement with charter airlines to fly German tourists directly into the northern emirate. A spokesman for Fujairah International Airport said “We’re talking with two operators and planning to sign a contract in the next few weeks.” The flights, which are expected to start in the middle of October, will give the Fujairah economy a boost. Fujairah has many…
June 6 - Dr. Mohammad Sadeqi met with Usta Aba Rjaili, who is head of the Bu Hamdoun Al-Mahatta Municipality, in Beirut to review the Mount Lebanon public service summer resort project. Dr. Sadeqi is resident representative of the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED). Heads of the municipalities of Shabania, Hammana, and Falugha attended the meeting. Participants were given a presentation of the…
June 6 - Fishing licenses will be issued only to people who have a residency visa and are currently living in Dubai, according to a senior official from the Dubai municipality. People who wish to go recreational fishing must first get a license from the municipality whether it is to fish on the coastline or in leisure boats. Engineer Mohammad Abdul Rahman Hassan said “A fishing license is a requirement for…
June 6 - A number of airlines are competing aggressively to be the first to land at the new Al Maktoum International Airport, as the countdown to launch of Dubai’s second international airport begins. The new airport, which will eventually be the world’s biggest airport, is set to open with skeleton shifts of operational crews by June 15th then after three weeks of operation, on June 27 there will be flights and…
June 6 - Sharjah based budget carrier Air Arabia has announced it will start flights to Najaf, Iraq from June 8th. Flight service to Najaf, Air Arabia’s first destination in Iraq, will operate twice a week. Including the new Najaf destination, Air Arabia now operates 64 routes from three hubs in the UAE, Morocco, and Egypt, where service began on June 1. Air Arabia flights between Sharjah and Najaf will…
June 5 - Dubai's newest airport, Al Maktoum International, will start passenger operations in March 2011, said an airport’s senior executive this week. “The planning date is spring of 2011 – so we’re looking at the end of March for the start of passenger flights,” said Dubai World Central Vice President for Cargo and Logistics, Andrew Walsh. “Right now, the passenger terminal in the final stages of fit-out.…
June 5 - The price of business, tourism and student visas for citizens of Saudi Arabia has gone up to SR532, from SR498, according to an announcement from the US State Department. “All persons who are applying for a business, tourism, or student visa (B1/B2, F1, F2, J1, J2, B1) on or after June 5, 2010 must pay SR532. If they have an appointment on or after June 5, 2010 and you have already paid SR498, you must…
June 5 - Luxury hotelier Elisabetta Gucci, daughter of Italian fashion designer Paolo Gucci, plans to open 40 hotels in the next 15 years across the Middle East, Far East and South America. She plans to open the first hotel in Dubai by the end of this year, said a hotel executive. Partner Lorens Ziller at Elisabetta Gucci Hotels & Resorts said that the 87-room luxury boutique hotel is complete and the next…
June 4 - Dubai Airports Company that operates Dubai International Airport has announced that it will ban all older aircraft from October 31 in a bid to reduce noise and emission pollutions. The company will withdraw older generation aircrafts that do not conform to international noise and emission standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). "ICAO classified Chapter 1 and 2…
June 4 - The Executive Operations Chief of Abadan Int'l Airport said on Wednesday that the airport is now providing round-the-clock services. According to an Iranian newspaper report, the required permission was issued by the Aviation Operations Deputy of Airports Mother Technical Affairs Company to have the working hours of Abadan International Airport increased to 24 hours as of Tuesday, June 1. This is in…
June 4 - Dubai’s budget carrier Flydubai launched its flights to Lucknow, India, yesterday. FZ433 took off on time from Dubai International Airport's Terminal 2 at 2030hrs last night, arriving at Lucknow Airport at 0150hrs local time this morning. The airline’s CEO, Ghaith Al Ghaith, who was on board the inaugural flight, said: "After much anticipation, we are thrilled to make our first entry into India…
June 4 - Etihad Airways on Thursday signed a new codeshare agreement with Hungarian carrier, Malev Airlines. The deal will be implemented from September 2010 and will provide travelers in Hungary access to the airline’s network spread across 61 destinations. Under the deal, Etihad will place its two-letter 'EY' code on services operated by Malev between Budapest and Athens, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and…
June 4 - Budget carrier Al Masria Universal Airlines, Egypt, has been given landing rights at Jeddah's King Abdulaziz International Airport under the Kingdom's open-air policy. The General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) gave landing rights to the airline and daily flights will operate between Alexandria and Jeddah. The airline's first flight arrived in Jeddah on Tuesday. The plane, carrying 164 passengers,…
June 4 - Oman Air temporarily cancelled its flights WY 627 and WY 635 to Ras al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi in order to use the aircraft for evacuation of Masirah Island residents in light of the cyclone Phet. 'This is a national cause and Oman Air stands by its commitment to the national cause. The passengers stranded due to this cancellation will be put on the immediate available flights, or will be provided…
June 4 - There will soon be a third low-cost airline in UAE after approvals are given to it for take-off, said Saif Mohammad Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) yesterday. The director did not mention the name of the airline or the investors seeking the license. More details, he said, would come in a month Dubai’s first budget airline, Flydubai celebrated its first…
June 4 - The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority’s (ADTA) website is now in Japanese, making it the website’s sixth language version. ADTA hopes to penetrate into the Japanese market especially since more and more airlines are launching flights to Japan. The number of Japanese nationals staying in Abu Dhabi hotels in the first four months of 2010 grew by one percent compared to the same period last year and the…
June 4 - Dutch football player Ronald de Boer referred to Qatar as the ultimate choice as host for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. De Boer has played for Qatari sides Al Rayyan and Al Shamal and serves as ambassador for the Gulf nation's bid to stage the FIFA World Cup in 2022. "I think it is the right time for this to happen. Africa has had its chance for the first time this year and now it is the chance for the…
June 3 - Kuwaiti airline Wataniya Airways launched a service to Vienna on Wednesday. The service will operate three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays, said an airline official. Vienna is the carrier’s 11th destination and its second European destination launched since the airline began operations in January 2009.
