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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US aircraft manufacturer Boeing will open its service centre in Doha, Qatar, that will provide facilities to both civilian and military clients. “We want to team up with Qatar and our new office would add value to our partnership,” Boeing Military Aircraft President Chris Chadwick said. However, Chadwick did not reveal further details about the project citing security concerns as a reason. Qatar is the first…
Dubai’s budget carrier, FlyDubai will launch flights to Assiut in Egypt and Istanbul, Turkey, thus increasing its network to 15 destinations. With a flexible price range starting from AED350, flights to Assiut, the largest town in upper Egypt, will be thrice a week and will start on Monday May 24. Meanwhile, flights to Istanbul will start from June 17 and will be priced at AED450. The airline will fly to…
An official at the Qatari Consulate in Dubai has confirmed that all GCC countries residents will also have to apply for a visa prior to arrival in Qatar starting from May 1. The new requirement is in line with the revised visa regulations issued by Qatar recently. The official also added that the application process will take two to three days but did not know anything about the processing fee. British and…
Petra (Amman, Jordan) has reported an increase in tourism in the first quarter of 2010, a positive sign for the region, said officials. The numbers of tourists visiting Petra rose by 50 per cent in the first quarter of 2010, said the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA). From January to March, around 210,000 local residents and foreigners visited the city, as opposed to 140,000 visitors in the…
The Ministry of Hajj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), signed a SR200 million agreement with Angari Contracting & Trading Company to set up headquarters in Makkah. Spanning an area over 21,000 square metres, the building will have three towers and will be located at the entrance of Makkah on the Jeddah-Makkah Expressway. The project's first phase will be ready in 24 months."This is the second most important project…
The Middle East is catching up with India and China in the business jet market, said industry analysts. The Middle East currently accounts for about 6 percent of the global business jet market and will need 200 more jets by 2015, and another 200 by 2018, according to Frost & Sullivan, the global business research and consultancy firm. “Between 2010 and 2018 415 new business jets are expected to be delivered. 223…
British and American citizens can no longer obtain a visa on arrival in Qatar according to new rules effective from May 1st. British and UK citizens are now among the nationals of 33 countries that must apply for a visa prior to their arrival in Qatar. A single entry tourist visa will cost $30 for all nationalities. The new rules also mean that people wishing to travel to Qatar for business reasons must…
Government owned Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center plans to build a convention center in Al Ain at a cost of $953 million in order to develop the city into a business center. Al Ain is a located about 160 km northeast of Abu Dhabi, and is less developed and known for its greenery. Construction of the mixed use property has already started ADNEC said in a statement. The project will include hotels, a…
April 11- Investors are raising questions about the viability of the SAR6 billion ($1.6 billion) private airport in Madinah, when the authorities have been unable to collect fees from the government carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines. The airline owes billions of riyals to the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA), which regulates the industry and owns the kingdom's airports and was on a road show in Dubai…
April 11- IBQ Bank has partnered with Qatar Airways that will allow the former’s customers to travel to the destination of their choice via the airline. As per the offer, customers who transfer their salary to IBQ or use one of its three products -- a credit card, vehicle or personal loan -- will be rewarded with a Qatar Airways return ticket to any destination in the world. The promotion will start on 11th April…
April 11- Samba Financial Group has signed a collaboration agreement with Sejel that operates and develops the Hajj and Umrah Information Center. As per the agreement, pilgrims can now opt for an automated payment solution for Umrah. The agreement was signed recently by Ahmed A. Ghumri, CEO of Sejel, and Anees Moumina, corporate banking head for Samba in the Western Region, in the presence of Eissa M. Al-Eissa,…
April 11- has opened up its first retail branch in Tanta, Egypt, it was learnt on Saturday. The branch is situated in the heart of the city with only five minutes away from its railway station. Travco hopes to open up about 20 branches across Egypt within two years. The Tanta branch will offer a diverse range of services including outgoing packages, domestic travel, ticketing, Hajj and Umrah, Nile cruises, and…
April 11- Jordan participated as an honorary guest in the International Natural Tourism Fair in Paris, said Commissioner of the fair Florence Lounge, pointing out that this is a positive step that will promote tourism in Jordan. Jordan has several interesting archaeological and historical sites and in this regard promotional material highlighting tourism in Jordan were distributed during the fair, she added.
April 9 -French luxury goods giant Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LMVH) has announced that it is entering the business of managing upscale hotels and already has plans to make its presence felt with two exclusive hotels in Egypt and Oman. Louis Vuitton will take into account the experience of Group Arnault, LVMH Chairman and Chief Executive Bernard Arnault's holding company, which entered the hospitality market…
April 9 -Hilton Worldwide has signed an agreement with Safir El Zamalek Hotel Company for a new branded hotel on the Nile, said a press statement on Thursday. Titled the Hilton Zamalek Residence Cairo, the hotel will open in July with 88 rooms and 76 suites. The agreement was signed by Mishal Abdallah Almasad, Chairman of Safir El Zamalek Hotel Company SAE, and Mahmoud Mokhtar, Vice President Operations for…
April 8- Hilton Worldwide signed an agreement with Safir El Zamalek Hotel Company for a new Hilton branded hotel on the Nile, according to a press statement. Mahmoud Mokhtar, vice president of operations for Hilton Worldwide in Egypt, and Mishal Abdallah Almasad, chairman of Safir El Zamalek Hotel Company SAE signed the Management Agreement. The new hotel, named Hilton Zamalek Residence Cairo is scheduled to…
April 8- The Ritz-Carlton hotel group said yesterday that Saudi Arabia will be its key source market in 2010 and beyond, and it is going to expand its presence there. Beginning this year the hotel group will increase efforts to engage travel agents and other major corporations. The company said in a statement that Saudi Arabia is its biggest GCC market. Ritz-Carlton has hotels in Dubai, Bahrain, Doha, and…
April 8- The UAE Foreign Ministry has issued a warning on travel to Thailand, urging its citizens not to travel there because of the current security situation and the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok. Emirati citizens currently in Thailand were urged to stay away from protest rallies and take extra precautions. Sultan Al Ali, Director of the Department of Information Affairs at the Foreign…
April 8 - Baghdad International Airport was closed Wednesday morning for unspecified reasons, airport checkpoint staff and officials said. Staff controlling checkpoints refused entry to all passengers and were only allowing airport staff through security checks. Security and airline officials gave differing accounts for the reasons behind the closure. A spokesman for Iraqi Airways said the airport was…
April 8- Abu Dhabi International Airport is increasing its flights by 10 per cent this summer -- April-October, said the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) in a statement released yesterday. There will not be 835 weekly scheduled flights to 80 destinations in 45 countries. Speaking on the occasion, Ahmad Al Haddabi, Senior Vice President of Airports Operation, ADAC, said: "As we continue to see our airline…
April 8 - The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the African Civil Aviation Commission (AFCAC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Montreal, Canada, to offer training courses to AFCAC member states. The training period will be for two years and will be held under the patronage of the Academy of Technical Training and the Gulf Centre for Aviation Studies The MoU, which is in line with…
April 8- Qatar Airways has launched its flights to Ankara, it was learnt in a statement released yesterday. Flight QR462 landed at Esenboga International Airport on Monday night, it added. The flights to Ankara will be four times a week from Doha making it the second destination to Turkey after Istanbul. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Akbar Al Baker said that “Qatar Airways is the only…
April 8 - Kuwait-based Wataniya Airways, has announced that it will start flights to Rome from May 31. The thrice a week flights will take off from Sheikh Saad Terminal to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Fiumiciano Airport on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This is the airline’s 11th destination and second European city after launching a flight to Istanbul earlier. Speaking on the occasion, Abdulsalam Al Bahar,…
An international conference on recovering Egypt’s stolen artifacts opened yesterday in Cairo by Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA). One of the keys points highlighted in the forum was that countries need to come together and cooperate with one another to recover their looted treasures. "We need to cooperate, we need a unification between our countries," Hawass told antiquities…
