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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Oscar winning actor and private pilot Morgan Freeman, who just arrived in the UAE on his new SJ30 jet from Emivest, said he is confident the aviation industry will make a successful comeback by 2011. “I agree that private jet owners have got a kind of beating. But I am pretty sure that general aviation is going to come back.” He said there has been so much talk about the economic downturn but believes that by…
Flights to Dubai have generally not been disrupted by bad weather in the United States and Europe. Dubai is connected to over 210 cities around the world. An Emirates spokesman said “Our flights remained unaffected. Flights to most European cities operated as per schedule. Some flights have experienced slight delay due to congestions at the airport, but not due to weather.” Dubai Airports, which runs Dubai…
The expansion plan for King Khaled International Airport in Riyadh was approved by the board of directors of the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) at a meeting on Monday. The first phase of the expansion project will boost the airports annual capacity to 25 million passengers. Crown Prince Sultan, deputy premier, and minister of defense and aviation presided over the meeting. Prince Sultan said…
Hotel bookings in Abu Dhabi and Dubai have picked up with the approaching holiday season, although at a slower pace than in previous years. Rooms are filling up due to an increased number of promotional packages, lower rates, and hoteliers focus on markets other than Europe. Arshad Hussain, director of business development at The Monarch Dubai, said travelers slow to spend have many choices and deals in Dubai,…
Several hotels in the United Kingdom are trying hard to attract Middle Eastern travelers during the slow winter season. The number of UAE visitors to the United Kingdom increased 14 percent this year and experts predict this growth will continue. There was a 50 percent increase in holiday travel during the first half 2009 compared to the same period last year. Luxury hotels are hoping to attract high spending…
Al Dhiafa Holding announced it has launched the International Hotel Consultants Company (IHC) in Abu Dhabi and will provide quality consultancy services for hospitality projects. Al Dhiafa is one of the leading tourism and hospitality companies in the Gulf and the region. Chairman of Al Dhiafa Holding said the new consultancy is consistent with the huge development of the tourism and hospitality sectors in…
Chairman of luxury hotelier Jumeirah Group said Dubai Holding, owned by the ruler of Dubai, will not sell or list Jumeirah Group in order to pay off debt maturing next year. Gerald Lawless said “Jumeirah and Dubai Holding are part of each other and Jumeirah is not going anywhere”. Markets around the world received a shock on November 25th when Dubai asked its creditors for a standstill agreement on $26 billion…
Saudi based travel firm, Al-Tayyar Travel Group, will raise SR1.2 billion ($320mm) from an initial public offering (IPO). The company is considering a 30 percent stake in a UK counterpart as part of its expansion plans. Next April Al-Tayyar will offer shares in the first IPO by a travel services firm on the Saudi bourse. Nasser Al-Tayyar, the company’s president, said “We are offering 24 million shares and…
American actor Morgan Freeman will fly his new SJ30 private jet from Los Angeles to the UAE, touching down in Dubai. The award winning actor, who has a private pilot’s license, purchased the jet from the Emirates Investment and Development Company (Emivest), a private investment company in the UAE. Sino Swearingen Aircraft Corporation (SSAC), a US based manufacturer and subsidiary of Emivest, produces the jet.…
Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA) will begin direct flights from Abha to Cairo within two weeks. The flight service will operate four times a week – on Sundays and Thursdays. SAA will increase the number of flights between June and October in order to meet demand. General Manager for passenger services and sales, Saeed Al-Furayeh, said the flights have transported about 7,242 passengers and “helped us to offer…
Qatar Airways is set to launch service to three new destinations beginning next year. The carrier will begin daily flights to Bangalore in February, followed by a service to Ankara, Turkey, then a third to Tokyo, Japan. Akbar Al- Baker, Chief Executive of the Doha based airline, said many airlines around the world are retrenching and cutting capacity, but Qatar remains “ well on track to offer the traveling…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) will increase its promotion of Abu Dhabi as an international destination in 2010. ADTA will showcase Abu Dhabi at destination pavilions at 20 overseas fairs next year including the emerging markets of Malaysia, Spain, and India. This is three more fairs than ADTA participated in last year. The authority is discounting participation fees for emerging markets by between 11%…
Speedboat tours by “The Yellow Boats” are the newest tourism product to launch in Abu Dhabi, giving tourists a different way to explore the city’s amazing coastline and new developments. The speedboat tours provide guided tours of popular attractions like the iconic Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi Corniche, ‘Natural Wildlife Tour’, and ‘Ultimate Thrill Ride’ for those looking for adventure. Managing Director of “The…
Passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport recorded double digit year-on-year increases for the sixth consecutive month during November, according to data released by IATA, the International Air Traffic Association. Passenger traffic increased 12.6 percent to 3,520,287 passengers in November 2009, up from 3,125,351 for the same month last year. This brings total year to date passenger traffic to…
Flight services to and from the UAE were disrupted for the third consecutive day because of heavy snow and bad weather in many parts of United States and Europe. Thousands of passengers have been left stranded at their airport gates. An American passenger explained in an email – “The weather is bad in NY. The flight is delayed. We will see what happens.” The passenger was scheduled to depart on an…
Kenya’s Minister of Tourism is looking to the UAE for investment needed to further develop the country’s infrastructure to boost long term travel gains. Najib Balala said that by 2011, Kenya will be ready to attract key players from the hospitality industry in the Middle East, including Rotana and the Jumeirah Group. Kenya will offer tax breaks and facilitate the companies with land acquisition to build…
Etihad Airways will increase its number of flights to Dublin to ten per week beginning in March 2010. This represents a 150 percent increase since the carrier launched service to Dublin in July 2007, with four flights a week. Etihad increased this to a daily service in March 2008. James Hogan, Etihad Airway’s CEO said “Dublin has been one of our most successful ever destination launches, with more than…
Investors enjoyed one of the most successful years for the world’s stocks in the last twenty years, but now persistent concerns about sovereign and related debt from the Middle East and Latin America will keep them busy into 2010. Going into the holiday season, investors must be aware of credit rating downgrades and their effect on asset prices, as thin liquidity aggravates market movement. Two credit…
Etihad Airways and Alitalia signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday regarding a codeshare agreement to be effective from the start of the Northern Summer season in April 2010, subject to government approvals. The MoU confirms the airline’s intention to operate the codeshare agreement, which will allow Etihad customers from around the world to fly to two new Italian destinations – Rome and…
Dubai based luxury hospitality company, The Jumeirah Group, has been appointed to manage the 250 room, five star, luxury Jumeirah Hangzhou, in Hangzhou, China. Jumeirah Group is a member of Dubai Holding. Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of Jumeirah Group, and Su Meng, President of GT Land Holdings Limited, signed the agreement in Hangzhou. The hotel will be located in a prime location in the Central…
The Dubai Road and Transport Authority (RTA) plans to introduce 900 kilometers of cycling tracks in the city, to be laid in stages over the next ten years. Abdul Mohsen, Chief Executive Officer with RTA ‘s Strategy and Corporate Governance, said the aim is to encourage more people to use cycling for short distances by providing safe cycling facilities in the city. The 14 kilometer long Jumeirah Road already…
The Safir Hotels Company, which is owned by The Kuwaiti Hotels Company, signed a deal with The International Investment and Tourism Group to manage the Safir hotel in Cairo. Sheikh Fahdel Al-Khaled, Chairman of the Board for the hotel company, said they are very proud of their impact in the region since they are one of the major hotels in the Arab World. He said the new agreement will boost tourism…
Etihad Airways is now fully accredited to provide maintenance services on a range of aircraft for all European carriers. The European Aviation Safety Agency awarded the UAE national carrier EASA Part 145 certification following a successful comprehensive audit by the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA). The certification means that Etihad Airway’s technical division can now provide line maintenance…
Significant growth in passenger traffic and cargo revenues during the second half of this year indicate the aviation sector in the Middle East will probably recover next year. Regional Vice President for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said the airline industry in the region is likely decrease its recession induced losses by 4/5th to $200 million by 2010. Dr. Majdi Sabri talked about the…
