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 Lebanese are among the 216 passenger missing after Air France disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. The plane was flying from Rio de Janeiro and experienced extreme turbulence. The 216 passengers represented 32 different nationalities including 5 Lebanese, 61 French, 58 Brazilians, 26 Germans, and 9 Italians. The flight disappeared during rocky weather and was presumed to have crashed. It is…
Air Arabia CEO Adel Ali announced they are planning to add up to 80 aircraft to their current fleet of 20 planes. Ali said they will also add two new hubs in the Middle East. He said the number of business travelers using Air Arabia will likely double in the next 12 months. Ali said they expect to have 100 planes operating in the region in the next five years. He said they are currently investigating five…
Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) said the first airport for business jets will be completely certified by federal aviation authorities this summer. The Al Bateen Air Base was upgraded by ADAC at a cost of Dh200 million (US$54 million). The military airfield is being converted for use exclusively by private air operators, and this is part of the emirates aviation investment in order to drive growth. Over the…
The first of ten Jinan “green” hotels is scheduled to open next month in Abu Dhabi. Jinan, a new UAE hospitality company based in Abu Dhabi, focuses on “eco-friendly” or green hospitality operations. A senior Jinan executive said they plan to build ten Green hotels by 2012. The new company began operations yesterday and plans to develop environmental hospitality products that meet international…
The 107 hotel properties operating in Sharjah have been classified according to Law No. 16 of 2007. A statement issued by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) said the new law helps boost hotel performance because it “came about as a result of tourism growth in the emirate’s hotel and tourism sector.” An SCTDA report said that Sharjah’s hotel sector improved greatly in the first half…
The Naturalization and Residency Departments of the Gulf Cooperation Council held their 24th annual meeting. The meeting was held in order to facilitate the launch and coordination of new services that will assist travelers within GCC countries. The GCC directors of the naturalization and residency departments reviewed travelling trends within the GCC, especially expats. Because of the new electronic link…
Elections in Lebanon are pushing air traffic to new highs for this time of year. Some Lebanese return through Dubai while others fly directly from the UAE. Airlines are making necessary adjustments to accommodate extra passengers but so far fares remain unchanged. Etihad spokesman Tim Clark said they have substantial bookings for June and the last few weeks have been busy. Clark noted the sharp increase in…
Etihad Airways launched flight service to Istanbul, Turkey on Monday, 1 June 2009. Flight EY097 took off from Abu Dhabi Airport at 9:15 am and landed in Turkey’s capital at 12:50 pm the same day. The Formula 1tm liveried A320 aircraft was used for the inaugural flight to Istanbul, to to mark two Grand Prix events. The Formula 1tm ING Turkish Grand Prix took place this weekend and the inaugural Formula 1tm…
Abu Dhabi’s Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) has launched a new Travel Medicine Service to advise and protect Abu Dhabi travelers leaving the country for work or leisure. AHS is a department of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA). The launch of the new service was timed to coincide with school closings during the holiday season and summer vacation plans An SEHA-AHS announcement said the new…
Emirates Airlines has expanded its Asia operations with its first commercial flight of an Airbus A380 superjumbo to Bangkok on Monday. The Airbus A380 is the world’s largest passenger airliner. The Airbus will arrive at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport with 500 passengers from Dubai. Thirteen check in counters, an extra large departure area, four boarding gates, and the longest luggage conveyer belt will be…
RThe troubled airline Rak Airways has halted all operations and is no longer in service according to reports on Sunday. The airline has not offered flight services since December because of the economic downturn and has now reportedly stopped all services. The airlines chairman said there was no longer any reason to keep the airline in business and the decision to end operations was purely commercial. An…
Royal Jordanian Airlines will increase the frequency of flight services to Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Bahrain in June. The services are being increased in order to meet increasing demand between between Aman and these cities. Royal Jordanian is also adding flight services to Lebanon, Beirut - increasing their daily flight service to Beirut’s capital to four, and weekly operations to 28. The new flights…
The new CEO of the troubled airline RAK Airways said they “are in no way closing”. Kristian Kirchheiner, who joined the airline on 18 May 2009, said they will resume operating charter flights after halting scheduled services late in 2008. He said while commercial operations are currently suspended they are investigating all opportunities for the airline going forward. He said “We are working on a plan for the…
FJazeera Airways will be the first Middle Eastern airline to fly to Antalya when it begins service to the Turkish city in June. The Kuwait based budget carrier will launch the new service on 4 June 2009, and non-stop flights are scheduled for Thursdays and Saturdays. The cost of the flight service starts at KD29 ($100) inclusive of all taxes and fees. Jazeera Airways chief commercial officer said Antalya’s…
Flydubai will launch operations with its inaugural flight from Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport on 2 June 2009. The budget carrier will be the first low cost airline to take off from Dubai. The airline will fly to Beirut and Amman on 2 June and services to Damascus and Alexandria will be introduced soon. Flydubai chairman and CEO presided over the unveiling of their first aircraft, a 737-800 NG…
General Manager for Dubai’s Holiday Inn said they are confident of a turnaround in the market because there is a perfect mix of corporate and leisure sectors, and Holiday in Dubai is perfect for both. Reda Moukthar said emphasis is being placed on boosting the hotels appeal to the corporate sector. Moukthar said “We have designed some unique packages this season that not only offer good value for money but are…
Virgin Atlantic is reviewing its Dubai operations and may increase services if passenger demand stays high. During the worst trading environment in the British carrier’s twenty five year history, Virgin Atlantic announced their profits nearly doubled last year. Between 28 February 2008 and March 2009 their pre-tax profit increased to $109 million from $55 .4 million. An airline spokesman said they constantly…
Dubai based Emirates Airlines said it does not have immediate plans to begin services to Fiji, but did not rule out beginning the service later this year. There were reports in the news in Fiji on Wednesday that the airline would begin flight services to Fiji later this year. Fiji’s civil aviation director has been quoted as saying authorities have been approached by Emirates officials regarding air service…
Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways announced it will begin two additional daily flights from Kuwait to Dubai beginning on 1 June. The airline provided a 48 hour special promotional offer on Thursday to celebrate the launch of the new services. Tickets purchased can be used for flights between 1 June and 15 September. Under the promotional offers passengers can purchase one way tickets starting at AED 119 which is…
Emirates Group reported last week they have achieved annual profits of Dh1.48 billion (US D406 million). Emirates airline and associated companies realized profits even as its toughest competitors recorded losses. British Airways, for example, lost Dh 2.35 billion (£ 401 million) compared with a £922 million profit the year before. Emirates Airlines earned Dh982 million and its sister company, which handles…
International Air Traffic Association (IATA) data shows that Middle Eastern airlines achieved double digit growth last month even as global growth declined 3.1%. Passenger demand increased 11.2% in April 2009 compared to the same month last year and airline capacity increased 12.3%. IATA increased its projected loss figure for Middle Eastern Airlines to Dh 3.3 billion - more than four times the previous…
Abu Dhabi hotels revenue dropped last month for the first time in more than a year demonstrating that the global financial crisis and weaker tourism demand is impacting the capital. According to STR Global data, Abu Dhabi RevPar decreased 6.9% to $249.53 last month compared to $267.90 last April. Occupancy levels also fell to 80.3% down from 88% last April. However, average room rates increased 2% in…
Revenue per available room (RevPar) in the Middle East dropped again due in part to Dubai’s negative performance and its effect on the region. STR Global figures show that RevPar dropped 18.4% to Dh548.12 (US$149.3). Beirut was an exception, achieving growth of more than 150%. Occupancy rates in the Middle East fell from 76.8% to 68.9%. RevPar in the Middle East fell 14.9% during the first four months of the…
A health expert said the UAE has the right elements for medical tourism including health care infrastructure, service quality, and perception. Dr. Prem Jaqyasi said the perception of a destination, value of solutions, and quality of healthcare are among the most important components necessary for brand building medical tourism. Dr. Jaqyasi is the Chief Strategic Officer at Medical Tourism Association (MAT) US,…
