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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Five jewelry retailers reported that gold jewelry sales in Dubai dropped 30% this year due to higher prices and fewer tourists because of the economic slowdown. Many of the 8 million tourists visiting Dubai last year were attracted by the tax free gold. However the retailer Reuters say there are far fewer tourists visiting the emirate known as “the City of Gold”. A shop keeper from Al Khaledyah Jewelry said…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) expects cruise passenger growth to the emirate to double during the next holiday season. ADTA bases their projections on “the 100% occupancy level achieved by the cruise ships using Abu Dhabi as a ‘port of call’ last season” according to ADTA deputy director general Ahmed Hussein. ADTA projects 199,113 cruise passenger visitors will arrive in Abu Dhabi between November and…
Makkaz Governor Prince Khaled Al Faizal will open the eight day Soaq Okaz festival on 19 August 2009. Prince Al Faizal said the cultural events planned at the festival are part of a huge cultural, economic, and intellectual project. Different sections of the festival will have cultural activities, traditional handicraft, and literary activities featuring poets and lecturers from throughout the…
The Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) is pulling out all stops in preparing to make Summer in Abu Dhabi 2009 one of the biggest events on the GCC calendar this summer. ADTA has made a multi-million-Dirham investment in the summer event for UAE residents and Gulf Cooperation Council visitors. Abu Dhabi’s goal is to become an international tourist destination and aims to draw between two and three million…
A Boeing 737-800 Air India Express flight bound for Kerala had a tire burst just before take off from the Sharjah International Airport. The incident occurred at 12:10 pm on Tuesday. The pilot aborted takeoff. No passengers were hurt but the runway was closed for two hours. One passenger said the tire blow out occurred two seconds before the plane was to lift off. Sharjah Civil Defence and other official…
The company @bahrain said when construction of their new project is completed, it will create 2,500 jobs. The company estimates that their project, called @bahrain, will bring in more than 3.5 million visitors a year when it is fully operational. @bahrain is one of the biggest projects in the country under construction over the past five years, covering over one million square meters. The company worked with…
Abu Dhabi based Royal Jet and ARABASCO signed an agreement forming an alliance between the two companies. Royal Jet CEO and President and ARABASCO President and CEO signed the agreement at a meeting at the Jeddah Hilton yesterday. The agreement is effective immediately and allows Saudi passengers to charter elite business aviation services between Riyadh and Jeddah. Under the agreement Royal Jet will…
Low cost carrier Air Arabia announced it has doubled the frequency of it non-stop flights to Istanbul Turkey – to four times per week. Flight service between Air Arabia’s main hub in Sharjah and Turkey’s capital of Istanbul are now offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. Air Arabia Holidays value package currently offers four night packages to Istanbul starting at Dh2,200 per person. Flights…
The Saudi Shura Council has advised the government to reconsider a previous proposal to privatize the nation’s private air carrier Saudi Arabian Airlines (SAA). The Shura council unanimously agreed at least 40% of shares should be offered to the public in an IPO sale and the public should maintain 50% ownership. The council also advised SAA to expand it current fleet of small and medium aircraft.
Air Arabia is offering a round trip ticket and one month tourist visa for Sharjah for Dh975. Head of Air Arabia’s commercial department, Ak Nizar, said they are offering the special summer promotion to travelers at any of the 46 destinations they serve. The promotion began on 15 June and is valid for travel to Sharjah until 31 July. Return flights must take place between 16 July and 10 September. Ak Nizar…
Arab Air Carriers Organization (AACO) has endorsed new software that accurately measures aircraft emissions. The air transport information technology company SITA said four airlines from the Middle East, Europe, and the US are testing their newly developed Aircraft Emissions Manager. SITA claims their software tool is the world’s first monitoring, verification, and reporting software that precisely measures…
The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) began a new summer hospitality training course for UAE nationals. DTCM Training Solutions section and the Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Lodging Association are jointly offering the course – Introduction to Hospitality Today. DTCM Executive Director of Corporate Support said it will give a broad overview of the service industry…
CEO of flydubai said there has been good passenger demand in their first month of operations. Dubai’s first low cost carrier began operations in early June and Ghaith Al Ghaith maintains the airline is operationally sound. He said “The response from the customer has been very good and the operation itself has been, touch wood, very silky." Flydubai began its first flight services with Beirut on 1 June…
Dubai’s Deputy Ruler, Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said he is satisfied with progress on the new $4.2 billion metro system. During an inspection of the new transport system on Monday, he said the new system will bring in more tourists. He said when completed Dubai Metro will “attract more holiday makers to the UAE, giving a boost to internal tourism and energizing and diversifying the local…
Gulf Air is considering legal action in response to Regional Paraguaya Airlines new livery, which is virtually the same as their gold and white design. Regional Paraguaya, which is based in Asuncion, has new markings very similar to Gulf Air’s, with the same color scheme, purple diagonal stripe, and golden falcon on the tail. Regional Paraguaya is a charter airline that began services last July. Gulf Air…
Sharjah International Airport is the first in the country to offer self check in services through the Common Use Self Service kiosks for all airlines. The kiosks are expected to be operational for various airlines by the end of the month. Following security screening, the passenger may choose the airline from the kiosk monitor and enter the ticket number. The kiosk then scans and reads the passengers…
Flydubai said their talks with Indian aviation authorities continue, dismissing reports that there is a stalemate. According to reports from India, the Indian Air Force (IAF) denied the budget carrier flydubai permission to land in Chandigarh at night. IAF controls this hub and no civilian planes are allowed to land. A flydubai flight was expected to arrive in Chandigarh at about 11 pm, which is past the IAF…
Bahrain’s Amwaj launched its first hotel in Manama - The Dragon. The luxury hotel and resort was designed to look like a dragon and cost an estimated BD 22 million. The structure resembles a sleeping dragon with a long neck stretching across the water forming a conical dragon shaped head. It resembles a giant majestically looking over the Arabian Gulf. The Dragon Hotel and Resort has incredible seafront…
The star ratings of some hotels in Abu Dhabi will be downgraded this summer when a strict new classification system comes into effect. All hotels in Abu Dhabi will be required to display a plaque showing their star rating within the next several weeks. The plaque will be issued by the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA). Eighteen months ago, the ADTA issued hotels a manual detailing the new classification…
Travel bookings in Jeddah have dropped 25% this year due to a shorter summer schedule and the swine flu virus, according to one Jeddah based travel agent. CEO of Departure Point Travel and Tourism Company said “The rates are competitive this year compared to last year, but still demand is less than expected.” Al Faqeeh said this year tourists are tending to go to cheaper countries like Egypt, Malaysia, and…
The Saudi Arabian Airlines Jet which had two tires burst on landing in Mumbai returned safely to Jeddah on Sunday. Saudia’s vice president for public relations explained the pilot believes the tire burst was caused by debris hitting the tires. Abdullah Alajhar said ongoing renovations and bad weather may have also contributed to the accident. After a complete check of the aircraft, it left for Jeddah on…
A Saudi Arabian flight landing in Mumbai had a close shave when two tires burst, causing the plane to skid. The landing occurred during inclement weather at the International Airport in Sahar on Saturday. Passengers were deplaned but then had to wait six hours for their luggage to arrive. One of the passengers explained “We were told, after a three hour wait on the runway, that we had to wait another six…
A top government official reported the Dubai tourism sector is performing well with an average 81% occupancy rate during the first quarter of 2009. The Director General of Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing spoke about Dubai’s tourism sector at a meeting of the Dubai Economic Council on Saturday. Khaled bin Sulayem said Dubai has maintained the average 81% occupancy rate since 2004 and it is…
The AED2.3 billion ($626 million) Palazzo Versace Dubai project is well under way, although plans for a refrigerated beach have been cancelled due to concerns about environmental effects. The developer for the project, Emirates Sunland group, said 80% of the units were sold before the global financial crisis. Managing Director Soheil Abedian said financing has already been secured through a syndicate of…
