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 12- The InterContinental Hotels Group in Dubai hopes to hire about 30,000 people in the 46 hotels that it aims to open in the Middle East and Africa in the next three years. "We're adding at least 50 per cent to our portfolio in the next three years, and it doesn't matter whether you're talking about hotels, the number of employees we need or the number of rooms," said John Bamsey, the InterContinental's…
March 12- The air travel industry in the Middle East expects to suffer losses of $400 million this year, as there has been low yields on long flights, thus reducing the profit margin, said the International Air Transport Association (IATA) on Thursday. The IATA also said that the price of fuel will keep increasing and the average oil price will rise from $75 to $79 per barrel, a $ 17 per barrel rise on the $62…
March 12- Qatar Airway will soon start its services to the South American countries of Brazil and Argentina, announced Chief Executive Officer of the airline, Akbar Al Baker, on the opening day of ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel and tourism show being held in the German capital. Qatar will start flights to Sao Paulo in Brazil and Buenos Aires in Argentina later this year. The two cities are an addition to…
March 12- Al-Saggaf Palace in Makkah, a historic site in Saudi Arabia, has been given to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) for renovation, it was learnt on Thursday. "The commission will renovate and develop the palace in an appropriate manner considering its historical value and open it to visitors," said an official statement. Al-Saggaf Palace was the centre of the government during…
March 12-The number of jobs in the Middle East (ME) air transport sector is likely to hit two million jobs over the next 20 years, said a study by Oxford Economics, a global research firm. At present, air transport in the ME has provided jobs to 400,000 people in the region and will add another 750,000 jobs in the next 20 years. As a result of this, the GDP of the region will stand at $50 billion (Dh183.64bn).…
March 12- The new tourism law for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is in its final stages and may be passed this year, Chairman, Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), Prince Sultan bin Salman said on Thursday. Speaking at the opening of an SCTA office for licensing and investment in Makkah, Prince Salman said all hotels in the KSA would be classified on the basis of international standards.…
Singapore Airline’s new Airbus A330-300 aircraft, to be launched for flights to Abu Dhabi later this month, will not have first-class cabins, said Desmond Lim, Abu Dhabi Manager, Singapore Airlines. The airline is one of the many international carriers that have removed business class from its aircrafts. Lim added that the business-class and economy set-up for the A330-300 would allow the airline to better…
Emirates Airlines said its expansion plans in Canada will not hurt the country’s airlines or airports, as charged by chief executive of Air Canada. The Dubai based carrier maintains that by increasing its three-day-a-week Dubai to Toronto service, Emirates will “offer a boon for the Canadian economy by growing a key market and region of the world that is currently under serviced.” The airline said reasonable…
The Abu Dhabi International Airport has been ranked as the best in eight customer services categories by the Airports Council International’s (ACI) ASQ results for the Middle East. In this regard, the airport has been awarded the ‘Best Improvement’ award by the council. “Naturally, we thank our customers and passengers for affording us these ratings; they clearly vindicate the hard-work of all our staff…
A government official said the expansion of Oman’s main airport is being delayed two years because runway excavations hit seawater. The delay will cost the state up to $500 million (Dh 1.83 billion). He said “The Muscat extension will now be completed in 2014, not in 2012 as expected due to soft ground which contractors came across in some places.” This is the second time expansion plans at the seaside Muscat…
A senior airport official said Oman plans to award a dozen contracts worth billions of dollars this year to build and upgrade the nation’s airports in order to increase trade and tourism. The government will build four airports, in Duqm, Adam, Sohar, and Ras al Hadd, and upgrade facilities n Salaleh and Muscat. George Bellew, chief executive of Oman Airports Management Company (OAMC), said Oman’s airport plans…
Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), said work on the new tourism law is nearly complete and may be passed this year. The prince spoke to reporters about the new law after opening a new SCTA licensing office in Makkah. He said all new hotels in the kingdom will be classified based on international standards, and hotels licenses will be issued only to…
Iraq has signed an agreement to buy 10 787 Dreamliners from Boeing on behalf of Iraq Airway. News of the contract appeared on the Boeing website this week although the contract was signed in December last year. The aircraft are worth a total of $1.7bn at list prices, but after standard discounts the Iraqi deal is probably worth $1.1bn.
Kuwait’s premium airline, Wataniya Airways, is celebrating the first anniversary of its Beirut service, sources told journalists on Wednesday. “We are delighted to celebrate the first anniversary of Wataniya Airways flights to Beirut. Our route has served Lebanese people living in Kuwait who travel on a regular basis, as well as thousands of Kuwaiti travellers who have a special relationship with Beirut and have…
Roya International and Deloitte have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the provision of Hotel Management Oversight (HMO) services in the Middle East. The service targets investors, hotel owners/operators and government entities and will yield enhance business values and returns. “This is an exciting time for all of us. By joining forces, the Roya and Deloitte teams will have the ability to…
Elaf Group of Companies is looking to expand its portfolio in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) by opening four new hotels by 2012, said the President of the company, Ziyad Bin Mahfouz. He pointed out that the current trends with respect to tourism within KSA have made locations within the country more attractive to Saudi nationals. “Elaf Group's strategy is to complement the growing focus on domestic tourism by…
March 10- ITB Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade show, started today and will continue till 14, March 2010 on the fairgrounds of Messe Berlin in Germany. This year there are a total of 603 Middle East-based travel companies participating, including airlines, tour operators, hotels and resorts. There is also representation from Middle Eastern embassies and city tourism boards. The Middle East countries that…
Singapore Airlines (SIA), one of the world’s biggest premier airlines, ruled out adding new destinations and increasing the frequencies of routes in the GCC region. Richard Lee, Gulf General Manager for SIA, explained “In the Gulf, at this point of time, we are more into a consolidation phase as we have just emerged from a very tough half year in 2009.” Lee talked about SIA’s plans on the sidelines of a…
Union Properties, one of the country’s leading developers, is in talks with two developers from the US and Qatar who have expressed interest in buying its Ritz-Carlton hotel at the Dubai Financial Centre (DIFC). A senior executive at a well known hospitality consultancy firm said the first interested buyer is a non-resident Indian settled in the US and a presence in the hospitality business. The second interested…
Walter Knight, Resident Manager of the 181 room Ramada Downtown Burj, said the hotel achieved 77 percent occupancy last month. R Hotels operates the property, which overlooks the Burj Boulevard within Burj residences. R Hotels is a member of R Holding, the property developers developing the Emirates City in Ajman. R Holding has invested about Dh 400 million in the project. Knight said “One of the key…
Nobu, the upscale Japanese restaurant chain, may open its hotel in the Middle East, as talks are underway with developers here, said Chuck Wood, Middle East Managing Director, Rockwell Group. Co-owned by Hollywood actor Robert De Niro, the first was opened in New York (designed by the Rockwell Group) while the first Nobu restaurant was opened in Dubai’s Atlantis Hotel. Meanwhile, Nobu is all set to open a…
Raffles Dubai is set to open a nightclub in its pyramid-shaped hotel building in Dubai in collaboration with Beirut’s Crystal Group, it was learnt on Tuesday. The nightclub will replace China Moon and New Asia bars on the 18th and 19th floors of the hotel, said Corinna Erken, said Raffles Dubai Director of Conferences and Events. Erken said the club is slated to open in April and is just a reflection of the…
Starwood Hotels & Resort Worldwide has announced the launching of four properties in the Middle East under its high-end brand name, St Regis. Two hotels are slated to open in Abu Dhabi, one in Doha and one in Cairo, said sources from the company. The company has also announced the opening of 50 new hotels in its Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) division by 2012. Meanwhile, a $275 million refurbishment…
Emaar Properties has submitted an expression of interest to Bali Tourism Corporation for a $600 million tourism project in Lombok, Indonesia. In this regard, Emaar is still waiting to hear from the Indonesian authorities. Earlier, it was reported that Emaar had decided not to help the Indonesian government with the project in question. However, sources discredited that saying that Emaar is still waiting for a…
