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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March 15- Dubai International Airport continues to lead the increase in air traffic movements in the UAE, according to the latest monthly report by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). Total aircraft movements recorded in all of the airports in the UAE reached 47,800 last month, 12.7 percent higher than the 42,400 movements recorded for the same month in 2009. Dubai Airport had the highest number of…
Amadeus just launched a new SMS solution that will become the industry’s first web based tool allowing travel agents to provide their customers with an update of their travel details via SMS. Amadeus provides technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry. The new web based tool will allow travel agents to alert travelers about important travel details including travel itineraries,…
General Manager of Alireza Travel Tours said a large tourism group is expected to visit Jeddah on March 23rd on the international tourist cruiser, Crystal Serenity. Khatar Chaaya said the group is comprised of 1,080 men and women from 18 countries. “This is the largest tourist group to visit the Kingdom so far,” he added. The Al-Jazirah Company will transport them to various destinations in the kingdom…
Officers and privates of Saudi Arabia’s passport offices will be sent abroad to receive intensive English language courses and etiquette training. A spokesperson for the passport department told newspapers that “Some of our staff lack diplomacy in dealing with passengers and many of them cannot communicate in English.” Lt. Col Talal Al-Malik said a group of 60 immigration officials will be sent to Australia,…
In a statement issued on Sunday, Emirates Airlines President Tim Clark stated that delays in the delivery of Airbus A350 were unacceptable to the airline especially since it had to wait for two years for the delivery of A380. “We have clearly told Airbus that we will not accept again what they did to us with the A380,” said Clark at ITB Berlin. Emirates has an order for 70 A350s, a long-range, mid-sized,…
Emirates Airlines has opened a lounge at the Birmingham International Airport, making it the third in the region. Spanning over an area of 7,000 square feet, first-class and business-class Emirates passengers can use the lounge while in transit. The lounge is located ay the Emirates’ departure gate in the new international pier in Terminal 1. Passengers can relax in leather seats and watch the news on…
Airbus is hoping to market about 5 to 10 corporate jets in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia this year because of the huge market potential there, it was learnt on Sunday. With the regions older Lockheed 1011, DC-10 and 707 refurbished corporate jets way past their ‘life span’, Saudi Arabia has a potentially huge market for the Airbus Corporate Jet (ACJ) – the A319. This figure is expected to…
The Bahrain Grand Prix, the first round of the 60th anniversary year of the Formula One World Championship, kicked off at the Sakhir circuit on Sunday. While seven-time champion Michael Schumacher was the main attraction given that he came back after three years, there was also a lot of hype regarding team tactics in the first race of the new no-refueling era. This has been the first time that Formula One racers…
March 15- Dubai hotel owners and operators are reconsidering the terms of investments proposed and the payback period allocated to them, it was learnt on Sunday. In fact, said analysts, some operators are even recalculating the revenues expected from the projects A classic example of this is one hotel owner in Dubai who renegotiated the expected revenue from the project: "In this particular case, the owner was…
March 15- Rotana, hotel management company in the Middle East and North Africa, is set to open the Amwaj Rotana Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai, on May 15 this year. Omer Z. Kaddouri, Senior Vice President UAE, Rotana, while talking about the launch, said: "The essence of Rotana is the diversity in its products and for us to be managing this newest property, which is the company’s first property with beach access in…
March 14- Whitbread Plc (WTB.LN), the UK based budget lodging chain, bought out its Indian joint venture partner Emaar MGF. Nearly three years ago the two companies partnered to build 80 Premier Inn hotels over a ten year period in India. The deal involved an investment of $600 million. Emaar MGF is a joint venture between Dubai’s Emaar Properties and India’s MGF Development Ltd. A Premier Inn India official…
March 14- Al Areen Holding Company hit back at Bahrain’s Banyan Tree operators on Saturday, in response to Banyan Tree’s petition to wind-up Al Areen Desert Spa and Resorts. Al Areen released a statement saying it will not tolerate any breach of contract by Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts to operate the desert resort property.” Luxury Resorts operator Banyan Tree petition filed the petition in order to recover…
March 14-The Sharjah Heritage show at the ITB in Berlin, which opened on Wednesday, is attracting thousands of visitors, officials, and German media representatives. This is the 13th time Sharjah has participated in the ITB. The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is holding various activities reflecting the heritage and history of Sharjah, and showcasing the traditions and folklore of the…
March 14- The aviation industry body IATA cut its net loss forecast for Middle East carriers to $400 million (Dh1.46bn) a substantial reduction from its initial forecast in 2009 of a $1.5 billion loss. Giovanni Bisignani said demand is causing recovery in the region but low yields on hub traffic will limit profitability. Bisignani, who is IATA’s director-general and chief executive, explained in a…
March 14- President of Dubai based Emirates Airlines, Tim Clark, said on Tuesday the airline expects to meet its full year earnings target of Dh2 billion. Clark said “We’ve had a very good year.” Clark spoke about the airline’s financial results and expansion plans at the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel fair which ended on March 13. He confirmed that Emirates Airline, the biggest customer for the Airbus…
March 14- Bahrain’s Dilmun Lounge was voted the best airport lounge in the Middle East and Africa (MENA) in a survey of more than 30,000 passengers from all over the world. Priority Pass, the independent airport lounge program, conducted the survey. Priority Pass gives frequent travelers access to airport lounges regardless of their class of travel or airline. Passengers were asked to pick their favorite…
March 13- Oman Air will focus on profit, not fleet size, in 2010, said its Chief Executive, Peter Hill, at the ITB Berlin on Friday. “The focus is now on being self-supporting, paying back government funding and showing that you can run a profitable airline, even if it is a government-owned one, in that region,” he added. Oman Air posted a loss of $109 million in 2008 and will publish its results for 2009…
March 13- Emirates Airline will add one more A380 to its London Heathrow routes from July 1, 2010, it was learnt. The A380 will be deployed on EK 003, which departs Dubai at 1415hrs and arrives in London Heathrow at 1840hrs. The double-decker aircraft which has been custom-made for Emirates includes onboard lounges, showers and spas. Speaking on the occasion, Salem Obaidalla, Emirates Senior Vice President,…
March 13- Etihad Airways has increased the number of Australian destinations by expanding its codeshare agreement with Qantas. As per the agreement, the two-letter ‘EY’ code is now placed on flights from Sydney to Ayers Rock (Uluru), Alice Springs, Canberra, Hobart and Melbourne and flights from Brisbane to Cairns. The new routes include flights between Sydney and Brisbane, Sydney and Cairns, Sydney and…
March 13- The contractor for MGM Mirage and Dubai World will file mechanics’ liens worth $492 million for the Las Vegas venture, it was learnt on Friday. “CityCenter believes that its actual obligation to the general contractor is substantially less than the amount claimed and that it is also entitled to significant offsets against the claimed amount,” said MGM Mirage in a statement on Friday. City Centre,…
March 13- The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) has launched the international B2B Engagement Initiative called Horizons Abu Dhabi. This initiative aims to increase the number of guests in Abu Dhabi hotels to 1.65 million in 2010, a 10 per cent increase as compared to 2009. “Over the past 18 months or so, Abu Dhabi’s visitor infrastructure in terms of accommodation, accessibility and attractions has…
March 13- Meydan, the world’s first trackside hotel, was opened this month. The hotel is a significant component of Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, which is the official venue of the world’s richest horse racing event, Dubai World Cup. The hotel has 285 rooms and offers an unobstructed view of the racecourse because of the private balconies in each suite. Besides that, guests can enjoy the races from the…
March 13- Meydan, the world’s first trackside hotel, was opened this month. The hotel is a significant component of Meydan Grandstand and Racecourse, which is the official venue of the world’s richest horse racing event, Dubai World Cup. The hotel has 285 rooms and offers an unobstructed view of the racecourse because of the private balconies in each suite. Besides that, guests can enjoy the races from the…
March 12- Acclaimed luxury resorts operator, Banyan Tree is seeking legal action against Al-Areen Desert Spa and Resorts in Bahrain over an unpaid bill of $1 million. Banyan Tree has filed a petition for the winding up of operations of Al Areen in a bid to recover $1.12 million. “It is common knowledge that the financial crisis has impacted several entities in the Middle East; to a certain degree, it has…
