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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Uber riders who are Starwood Preferred Guest members have the opportunity to earn Starpoints during any ride on the Uber platform, as per new agreement between the mega-hotel company and the San-Francisco based ride-sharing service. Starwood, which operates nine brands including the Sheraton, Aloft, Westin, W and St. Regis, announced the new partnership last week, which is the first of its kind for Uber.…
The Empire returns to Legoland California with the largest Lego Star Wars Miniland model display to date. On the evening of March 4, the galaxy’s most powerful weapon was unveiled: The Lego Star Wars Miniland Death Star Model Display. At 8-feet wide, 13-feet high and weighing more than 1900 pounds, the massive LEGO model is made out of more than 500,000 Lego bricks, featuring a planet-destroying super…
Dubai adds another item to their lengthy list of world records, with the opening of the ‘world’s largest interactive virtual city tour’. Dubai 360, a website that offers panoramic views of the city, has unveiled The Sphere at The Dubai Mall; a new experience where the public can feel what it’s like to get around the emirate’s top attractions in just a few minutes. Powered by 18 projectors running…
Qatar Airways has unveiled the launch dates of three new passenger destinations in Pakistan as part of the airline’s continued expansion strategy. Beginning 16th July 2015, the airline will begin four weekly passenger services to Sialkot where it already operates dedicated freighter services three times a week. Sialkot also marks Qatar Airways’ first new passenger route to Pakistan since 2004. On 17th July…
Plans for a ‘Museum of the Future’ were revealed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday. The $136 million is set to open in 2017 in the Emirates Towers area near Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. The curving, oblong — and of course futuristic-looking — building will feature poetry written by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al…
Air Arabia has announced Kathmandu as the latest destination to be served from the recently launched Ras Al Khaimah hub. Starting February 22, 2015; the low-cost carrier will fly twice weekly to Kathmandu, the 10th destination which travellers can now access from the Northern Emirates. Air Arabia will operate its Kathmandu service on Wednesdays and Sundays, departing Ras Al Khaimah at 14.10 and arriving at…
Mongolia will be the featured "Partner Country" at this year's annual gathering of the world's travel trade community in Berlin. ITB-Berlin, the world's largest travel exhibition is expecting over 100,000 trade visitors to the show that runs from March 4-8 2015. This year's event is set in turbulent times when the Euro is declining in value and global terrorist threats are making travelers hesitate to travel.…
Younger guests at the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi can now enjoy new activities during their stay, as part of the Ritz Kids program, in collaboration with the Ocean Futures Company. The Ocean Futures Company, founded by Jean-Michel Cousteau, is intended for children aged between four and twelve years. It provides classes that teach the importance of four principles - water; which emphasizes the importance of sea…
Dubai’s hotel establishments welcomed 11,629,578 guests in 2014, registering a 5.6% increase on 2013’s total. Figures released today by Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) show a steady 5.6 percent year-on-year growth in hotel establishment guests, and hotel and hotel apartment room revenues rise 12 percent to AED 15.2 billion. For January to December 2014, Dubai’s top ten hotel…
Qatar Airways has announced that it will double the number of movies and TV shows on board over the coming months, increasing the choice of entertainment channels from 950 to 2,000. This comes on top of the already wide selection of more than 200 audio options and 50 games to entertain both children and adults during their journey. Passengers on board Qatar Airways flights in March 2015 will also be able to…
Starting 3rd June, Emirates Airlines will launch a new daily service to the island of Bali in Indonesia. Bali is a leading tourist destination which welcomed more than 3.7 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2014. It is one of the most popular islands in Indonesia with spectacular mountains and picturesque beaches. Bali will be Emirates’ 148th global destination, adding to the airline’s route network in the…
The grand opening of Al Barza Restaurant & Cafe took place this week, in which a vast number of dignitaries, businessmen, members of the press and simply just Emirati cuisine lovers were present. The opening ceremony included an Ayyalah performance, which is a traditional Emirati folk dance commonly performed by men at weddings and National Day celebrations, and even a traditional tent cooking setup displaying…
Abu Dhabi Ports had one of its busiest days on February 23, as the AIDAaura and AIDAdiva both arrived at the same time in Zayed Port, carrying thousands of passengers. The visiting cruise passengers were given the opportunity to explore the capital for two days, making the most of the attractions on offer. Numerous four-wheel drives and coaches were waiting ready to depart at 7am on Tuesday morning at the…
Iraqi Airways is to start two new weekly services from Manchester to Sulaymaniyah and Erbil on 15 March, 2015. From just £383 for a limited time only, the airline will operate flights to Erbil from Manchester every Wednesday, and flights to Sulaymaniyah from Manchester every Sunday. Both routes will be operated by a brand new Boeing 737-800 with a capacity of 162 passengers. Erbil is the largest city and…
Welcoming around 10 million visitors each year, China’s most popular tourist attraction, the Great Wall of China, is not much of an unknown architectural wonder to people around the world. For those looking for a far more relaxed, yet equally astounding Great Wall attraction, you might be surprised to find out there is one available in China’s neighboring country of India. The Great Wall of India, also…
Made with the finest Madagascar Vanilla ice cream, the most sought-after Iranian saffron, slices of black Italian truffle and topped with a sprinkle of 23-carat edible gold, this ‘Black Diamond’ treat is eying Dubai’s collection of records, hoping to be named as the most expensive ice cream in the world. At Dhs 2,999, Scoopi Cafe on Jumeirah Beach Road will serve you this delectable delight in a Versace…
Qatar Airways has announced a major expansion in South Africa with flights to its newest destination of Durban, and increasing its weekly flights to Johannesburg and Capetown. Starting on the 17th December 2015, Qatar Airways will be adding four new weekly flights to Durban via Johannesburg, bringing the total number of flights up from 10 to a double-day service. From the 1st of October 2015 Qatar Airways…
Located in the African Republic of Mali, the Great Mosque of Djenne is the largest mud-structure in the world. It was said to have first been constructed in the 13th Century, but was destroyed and rebuilt several times - so much so that the mosque you see today is one that was finally completed in 1906, almost 7 years later. The Great Mosque of Djenne is completely constructed from mud - sun-baked mud…
Mall of the Emirates is ushering in the Chinese New Year with cultural festivities from February 17th to March 5th. The festivities at the mall during this period aim to provide a ‘home away from home’ feel for Chinese visitors and residents of the UAE. “Chinese guests are a growing and vital part of the Mall of the Emirates community, and celebrating Chinese New Year enables all shoppers to enjoy the color…
In honor of the death of the famous chocolatier, Michele Ferrero, here’s a short list of things Nutella-lovers should do if they were to find themselves in Italy. 1. Make your way to Alba, Piedmont. What better way to start the list off than to travel to the actual place Nutella was invented? Michele Ferrero created his first Nutella jar on the 20th of April, 1964 in his factory in Alba - a quiet town of…
The annual Qasr Al Hosn Festival celebrates the UAE’s heritage through a rich and cultural program. This year, the program is inspired by two themes: Abu Dhabi’s traditional heritage represented by the iconic Qasr Al Hosn Fort and its surrounding areas, and the importance of modern heritage showcased in the Cultural Foundation Building through a variety of activities. Qasr Al Hosn (meaning palace fort) is…
Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, part of the Rezidor Hotel Group, currently operates more than 230 hotels worldwide with another 51 projects under development. As part of this development, the iconic hotel chain is adding two new hotels in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia early this year; Radisson Blue Red Sea Palace Hotel in Jeddah, and Radisson Blu Resort in Jizan. The Radisson Blu Red Sea Palace Hotel in…
The second annual Dubai Food Festival started on Friday the 6th of February, attracting celebrity chefs and food-lovers across the region. The 23-day event revolves around four main themes - Emirati cuisine, homegrown concepts, multicultural dining and street fare, as well as international chefs and restaurants. Two of the festival highlights include the ever-popular Beach Canteen taking place at Kite Beach in…
