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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April 19- Oman Air will launch its daily service from Muscat to Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) from May 2, it was learnt on Sunday. This will be Oman Air’s 34th international destination and the third in UAE, the other two being Abu Dhabi and UAE. Speaking on the occasion, Peter Hill, CEO, Oman Air, said: "Ras Al Khaimah is the 4th largest emirate in the UAE in terms of area and population and is a growing leisure…
April 19- Airfares are expected to increase by 20 per cent this summer, starting from mid-May, while the demand for air travel could increase by 10 per cent, said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Sunday. A renewed interest in leisure travel, coupled with capacity cuts and rising fuel prices is expected to give the aviation sector that much-needed boost post 2009, which saw the industry incur…
April 19-Syrian Airlines has received its second delivery of the ATR 72-500 aircraft, a French carrier, which got to the Damascus International Airport on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, Syrian Air Director General Ghaidaa Abdullatif said the two aircrafts will be operational in a few days. Syrian Airlines is expecting 14 Airbus planes which will arrive subsequently. Abdullatif also said that the airline is…
April 19- Emirates Airline has lost a "significant amount of money” because of the cancellation of its flights to several European countries including the UK, the result of the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland, said the airline’s president on Sunday. "About 30 of our aircrafts are grounded which represents about a fifth of our fleet. I would estimate that somewhere in the region of 20 per cent of airline…
April 19- Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will launch its direct flight to Iraq from April 26, according to a press release released on Sunday. Given the fact that there has been a surge in air travel to Iraq largely due to the reconstruction in the country, Etihad plans to make use of that rising demand. Iraq Airways, the national airline of the country, has been slow to expand its services. "We expect to see…
April 18- Oman Air cancelled flights to the UK, France, and Germany on April 15 and 16, after the air traffic control authorities closed their airspace. The suspension of flights is the result of an ash cloud hovering over Europe, the result of a volcanic eruption in Iceland. Talking about the suspension, an Oman Air spokesperson said: "We are doing everything we can to ensure our booked and stranded…
April 18- Scores of Qatar Airways passengers remain stranded in Doha after Qatar Airways decided to ground all its flights to London. The cancellations are the result of an ash cloud lingering over Europe that developed soon after the volcanic eruption in Iceland on Wednesday. Sunil Menon, who works for Qatar’s travel industry, said that Doha-London flights of Qatar Airways were fully booked until at least…
April 17- The huge cloud of ash, the result of a volcanic eruption in Iceland has suspended the first commercial flight between Baghdad and London that was slated to take off after a 20-year gap, said Iraqi officials. The Iraqi Airways flight to the British capital, via Malmo in Sweden, would have been the first such journey since sanctions imposed by the UN after Saddam Hussein's 1990 invasion of Kuwait came…
April 17- Iceland’s volcanic eruption on Wednesday and the lingering ash cloud has caused airlines to lose as $1 billion in revenue given the suspension of all flights to Europe, said the Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA). “The lost revenue for the industry could be in the hundreds of millions, possibly as high as $1 billion,” said Derek Sadubin, Chief Operating Officer (CEO), CAPA. According to…
Emirates Airline flights to the UK, scheduled to leave Dubai early on Friday morning, have been cancelled due to the continuing problems associated with the Icelandic volcano eruption. According to the airline’s website, Friday's flights from Dubai to London Heathrow, scheduled to leave at 2.30am, 7.45am and 9.50am, have been cancelled. Flights to London Gatwick, which were due to depart Dubai at 2.50am and 8am,…
April 16- The ash clouds from a volcanic eruption in Iceland has affected the flight schedules of several airlines across Saudi Arabia playing to European destinations. As the clouds of ash and smoke from the volcanic eruption in Iceland moved south, scores of airlines suspended their flights on Thursday, the biggest cancellation of its kind since 9/11. All flights in and out of the UK and several other European…
April 16- Reed Travel Exhibitions, organisers of the high-profile Arabian Travel Market, a travel and tourism event slated to kick off in May in Dubai, UAE, has said that this year’s event has been designed to meet the increasing demands of the sector. In a statement released on Thursday, the company said that this year’s programme will include up to 25 free-to-attend sessions and will, for the first time,…
April 16 - QInvest, one of Qatar's top investment banks, has acquired a 40.8 per cent stake in Intercat Hospitality and Butlers Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services (The Group), one of UAE‘s biggest outsourced business services. "The investment is in line with our private equity fund's investment strategy of backing strong management teams and scalable businesses in the MENASA region," said Anuj Khanna, Co-Head of…
April 16- The Egyptian Chamber of Tourist Establishments (ECTE) has ordered all food outlets and tourist enterprises to boycott red meat on April 26 in a bid to protest against the increase in prices of the same -- LE80 per kg. "As a board of directors, we believe that this is a civilised reaction," said the Chairman of ECTE Wagdy El-Kirdany. "Newspapers and talk shows have repeatedly called for a boycott…
Singapore-based Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, part of Banyan Tree Holdings, hopes for five to seven per cent of its total revenue to be generated from the Middle East in the next two years, said Ariel Vera, Group Managing Director of Banyan Tree Holdings. The company also expects to double its portfolio to 12 hotels in the coming years. "Once we open the projects, which we currently have in the pipeline…
April 16- Armani Hotel, Dubai, the world’s first hotel developed by Armani Hotels & Resorts, will open in Burj Khalifa on April 21, making it the first hotel to be launched under the collaboration between Emaar Properties PJSC and Giorgio Armani. The hotel has been designed by the acclaimed fashion designer Armani. “My ambition for Armani Hotel Dubai – the first of a collection of Armani hotels, resorts…
April 16- Updated News - A volcanic eruption in Iceland has caused the closure of airports in five Northern European countries. The UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands shut their air space from midday Thursday. According to a statement by the UK's air traffic control company NATS, all air traffic in the UK will remain suspended until 7pm Friday evening. Since this is a fluid situation and weather…
April 15- The General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Dubai, has launched an electronic audit system called Q-Pulse that will enhance safety and security measures at the airport. The announcement was made at a launching ceremony yesterday where various representatives from the aviation sector were present. Speaking on the occasion, Ismaeil Al Balooshi, Safety Director of GCAA explained: “As the first regulator…
April 15- Kuwaiti budget carrier, Jazeera Airways announced its first quarter results yesterday which said that the airline was on time 93 per cent of the time. This makes Jazeera Airways one of the most punctual airlines in the world. The airline flies to to 22 destinations across the Middle East, West Asia, North Africa, Iran and Turkey, and operates a fleet of 11 Airbus A320s. Speaking on the occasion, CEO…
April 15- A Saudi Arabian airplane landed safely at Kuwait International Airport after a technical glitch caused a failure of the landing gear to open, said Airport Operations Director Essam Al-Zamil. The plane, said Al-Zamil, was carrying 104 passengers and flew for 50 minutes before it landed.
April 15- Etihad Airways has announced its partnership with the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) to launch co-branded visa credit and debit cards for the benefit of its frequent flyers. The features of the payment options will be unveiled at the time of the launch of the card, expected at the end of the second quarter. The agreement was signed by Chief Executive Officer ADCB, Ala'a Eraiqat, and CEO, Etihad…
April 15- The (EASA) will hold the second ooperation forum in the UAE at the end of this month, said the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). The forum will be held for the first time outside Europe and more than 50 countries are slated to participate in it. The forum hopes to talk about latest aviation safety standards.
April 15- Israeli travellers were asked to leave Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, last night because of kidnapping threats issued by militants. In this regard, the Israeli counter-terrorism bureau issued issued a travel advisory, warning tourists from travelling to Sinai and saying that the threat was based on "concrete intelligence". Sinai is a popular holiday destination for Israelis, who flock to its beach resorts…
April 15- Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCDTA) is organising a roadshow to several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in a bid to promote tourism in Sharjah and attract tourists from GCC. The roadshow, which started yesterday, includes destinations like Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia and will end on April 20. The delegation particiating in the roadshow includes several institutions…
