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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People remember the launch of the US$1.5 billion (Dh5.5bn) Atlantis Hotel in Dubai as the last big party before the recession hit. The lavish event, reported to cost $20 million, epitomized the perception of an indulgent brand in Dubai. A year afterwards, however, a hotel executive says the money was well spent, and the actual amount for the launch party was far less than $20 million. Wendy Potter, Vice…
Emirates Airlines continues to buck the global trend, posting a net profit of Dh752 million ($205 million) during the first six months of its current fiscal year. This is 165 percent higher than the Dh284 million, ($77 million) net profit it made during the same period last fiscal year, and comes at a time when the global aviation industry is set to lose Dh41 billion this year. The increased profits came…
Senior Vice President of Arabian Adventures and Congress Solutions International, Fred Bardin, said Dubai hoteliers must start being realistic about hotel room rates. Mr. Barnes said that although RevPar and occupancy rates have dropped this year in Dubai, “we still have some of the highest rates in the world – these hotels are still living in Utopia.” Mr. Barnes said the strategy of cutting rates at the…
Hotel Industry Executives said Dubai’s hospitality sector is again gearing up for the approaching high season with special packages and market specific promotions to attract tourists. The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) is increasing its sales efforts in the UK and Europe, its biggest source market, in order to boost tourist arrivals. DTCM is set to make a big impression with its new…
FutureBrand Consultancy’s fifth annual Country Brand Index predicts the UAE, China, and Vietnam will likely become top tourism destinations in five years. The United States unseated Australia to take the top position for the first time, followed by Canada in the second spot. Australia came in third for this years study and New Zealand and France rounded out the top five. FutureBrand said “The Obama effect has…
Chief Executive of Cathay Pacific Airways, Tony Tyler was in Jeddah to announce the airline will expand further in the Middle East. Last week the carrier introduced flights between Jeddah and Hong Kong. The new service will connect business and leisure passengers to Cathay Pacific’s extensive international network through Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific began service to Riyadh in 2001 and shortly after started…
Top Industry experts said the hospitality industry in the Gulf region is still struggling to recover from the impact of the economic downturn. There have been decreases in all four key measurements in year-on-year results for September. STR Global Managing Director, James Chappell said “The region has improved, especially the UAE, considerably when compared to August, while average revenue per available room is…
Despite the impact of the global recession on most travel market eco-tourism, or green tourism, is increasing. Green tourism used to be a niche form of tourism but it is now pushing its way into the mainstream. The term eco-tourism implies travel to protected areas in a low impact, small scale way, and there is a focus on educating the traveler. Emirates launched Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa the first…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority announced it will host a one day, $250,000 (Dh918,250) Abu Dhabi International Triathlon on March 13th next year. The announcement comes just after the end of the Formula 1 Grand Prix event on Yas Island, which saw hotel occupancy reach 100 percent in the capital. Between 60,000 and 70,000 people came to Yas Island for the Formula 1 race and concerts, and over 225,000 people came…
The Formula 1 Grand Prix on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi ended last weekend and hotel executives of the Yas Hotel are confident of future success. The glowing, five star Yas Hotel, which is the first hotel to be built around a racetrack, was a center piece of the action. The 499 room hotel has 5,000 glass panels and 208,000 LED displays and took 4,000 workers 22 months to build. The interior of the hotel looks…
The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said far fewer travel agents in Dubai will participate in the World Travel Market (WTM) in London next week despite lower costs and the fact that London is Dubai’s biggest single source of visitors. DTCM reduces its rental rates by 50 percent to encourage participation. A DTCM source said that many hotels and tour operators did not have a budget to…
Arabian Nights 09 will start on November 5th in Al-Ain, and continue through November 6th in Abu Dhabi and November 7th in Dubai. Malayalam Communications Limited, one of the major television companies in India, is preparing the entertainment extravaganza. The UAE’s Indian community will enjoy a spectacular musical treat of folk songs and a lineup of numerous entertainment including performances by reality…
A senior hotel figure projects that Dubai will have an oversupply of hotel rooms in 2010, with 18 properties representing 7,000 additional rooms set to open. Guy Epsom, a business development director for four of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts upcoming properties in Dubai, said hoteliers will still be suffering the effects of the 2009 market conditions in 2010. Mr. Epsom explained that in 2009 there was a…
Developers will spend $1.4 million to restore a 650 year old mosque tucked away in Cairo’s old city – the Al Darb Al Ahmar district. The mosque is being restored in order bring new life to the impoverished district and attract more visitors to see the country’s treasure trove of Islamic sites. A few American donors contributed to the restoration efforts including the US Ambassador Fund and the American…
Emirates Airlines will add 17 new flights to its Asia Pacific route next month. Beginning in December, the carrier will introduce a fourth daily flight service to Bangkok, a third daily flight service to Sydney, two more flights to Manila, and another service to Jakarta. The Dubai airline said in a statement it will add a total of 17 new flights between December and January, increasing it seat capacity by 13…
‘Definitely Dubai’ will make a big splash when it is launched by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) at the World Travel Market as the official tourism brand to promote Dubai. DTCM will participate in the World Travel Market in London from November 9th until November 12th DTCM Director for Overseas Promotions and Inward Missions, Al Geziry, said the “Definitely Dubai will provide…
The Galactic Suite Space Resort is on track to accept its first paying guests in 2012, despite criticisms about the investment and timeframe for the multi-billion dollar project. It will cost three million euros (Dh16.1 million) to stay for three nights at the hotel, and this price includes an eight week training course on a tropical island. During their stay at the hotel, guests will see the sun rise fifteen…
Abu Dhabi has been featured as one of the top ten cities in the world to visit in Lonely Planets 2010 travel guide. Lonely Planet’s “Best of Travel 2010”, released yesterday, is the travel company’s fifth publication of the annual list of best places to go and best things to do in upcoming year. Other cities in the top ten list are Charleston in the United States, Cork in Ireland, Cuenco in Ecuador, Istanbul in…
Jumeirah and Rotana are among the international hotel brands considering expanding into India despite problems like high real estate costs and different business models. India is a largely underserved market and Hilton, Hyatt, Marriot, and Accor are some of the international hotel chains with big growth plans there. Michael Issenberg, Accor Asia Pacific Chairman and CEO, said “India is one of the world’s most…
Dubai hotels registered a 4.09 percent increase in average growth of revenue per available room (RevPar) in the third quarter of the current fiscal year (July-September) compared to the same period last year. A Deloitte analysis of STR Global data for Middle East Hotels shows that there was only a slight increase in RevPar in September compared to August. Average growth in occupancy during the third quarter of…
The Yas Marinas was an important part of the Abu Dhabi’s inaugural Formula One Grand Prix, giving guests some of the closest views of the race. Millions of dirhams worth of yachts lined the marina, including vessels belonging to the Royal family, some from the Mediterranean, and at least one that traveled all the way from Australia. The owner of AA Properties in Dubai, 28 year old Jeroen van der Geer,…
Abu Dhabi International Airport announced that passenger traffic increased 7.5 percent during the first three quarters of this year compared to the same period last year. Passenger numbers also increased 6.4 percent in the third quarter of this year, and Abu Dhabi Airports Company reported a 6.8 percent passenger increase in September. Acting Chief Executive of ADAC, John Stent said “Abu Dhabi International…
The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) is partnering with the Etisilat to launch the Etisilat-Sharjah Water Festival 2009, which will be held in Sharjah from December 2 through December 12. Etisilat is the title sponsor for the event. There will be a variety of water themed entertainment and activities at the annual festival which will end with the Sharjah Grand Prix event. SCTDA…
GCC nationals and nationals of other Arab countries can obtain a one or two week visa on arrival in Iran. Saleh Najidi, who is in charge of the Iranian Ambassador’s office in Abu Dhabi said Abu Dhabi emirates can obtain the visa at the airport on arrival, if they want to stay less than two weeks. Najidi explained if they wish to stay longer than two weeks, they must arrange for a visa in advance from the…
