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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The fifth edition of the Sharjah Light Festival began on the 5th of February, and will continue to run for nine nights up until the 13th of February. The event showcases the architectural beauty and cultural history of Sharjah, offering a combination of light and music to create mesmerizing 2D and 3D designs on mosques and other landmarks. This year the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority…
A new study has found that the world’s tallest building is one of the most popular places in the world to take a selfie. Attraction Tix, a UK-based online ticketing specialist for attractions around the world, has analyzed social media posts tagged with “selfie” between the years 2010-2015 and released a list of travel hotspots that is most preferred by visitors taking selfies. After 219 million Instagram…
Ready for a new and exciting culinary experience? ROGO’S Rollercoaster Restaurant is UAE’s first restaurant to serve dishes via - you guessed it -roller coasters. The 14,000 square foot restaurant has a network of 30 roller coasters that loop and spiral their way down through diners to deliver food directly to each table. So how does it work? Guests simply sit at a table and order what they want from the…
Part of a new breakfast promotion, customers at Italian restaurant Serafina are free to decide how much they are willing to pay for the food they eat - a concept popular in the West but not so much in the UAE. The “What’s it Worth” tactic has been attracting large numbers of customers to the upscale restaurant since its launch on January 27. The offer is still valid every morning from 8am-1pm until February…
The future is here. Japan is set to open the first hotel in the world entirely operated by robots in mid-July this year. Henn-na Hotel, which translates to Strange Hotel, will feature three ‘actroids’ (robots with strong human-likeness) as receptionists that can have intelligent conversations with guests, four service and porter robots, and a few other robots for cleaning purposes. The hotel aims to…
Thank God for co-pilots! A door malfunction locked the captain out of the cockpit on Delta Airlines flight 1651 from Minneapolis, before arrival at the intended destination, McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.The first officer alerted the airport to an ‘emergency in-air’ and made an unassisted landing. There were 160 people on board the MD-90 aircraft, which landed at 12:23 p.m. on Thursday with no…
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on February 2 2015 that a record 56.4 million visitors came to New York in 2014. 12.2 million of them were overseas visitors. This growth in tourism numbers has helped boost the local economy and added to both employment and tax revenue. New York City is the number one big city destination in the United States. It is the number one port-of-entry for foreign…
Air Arabia makes history as it becomes the first low-cost airline from the Middle East and North Africa region to enter China. Starting February 10, 2015 the Sharjah-based airline will fly regular non-stop services to Urumqi, the largest city in Western China and capital of the Xinjiang Region. Urumqi is known for being the most inland major city in the world - that is, the furthest away from any ocean. It…
Travelling to Hawaii this month and need something new and exciting to do? Why not take advantage of the fact that two-thirds of the entire North Pacific humpback whale population have made their way into town, after racing 3000 miles from Alaska for about two months. The Kohola (humpback whales) range between 40-52 feet in length and weigh up to 45 tons. Despite that, these whales are quite the graceful…
No matter who wins the Super Bowl this year, New England Patriots fans have the opportunity to have some fun this spring by going on a cruise with former players. Granted, one has to have $1,019 (excluding tax and fees) to spare to afford to go on this cruise across the Caribbean, but sharing a ship for seven nights with former Pats Kevin Faulk, Scott Zolak, Troy Brown, Joe Andruzzi, Steve Nelson and Patrick Pass…
Britain’s Highclere Castle, made famous by the hit TV show Downton Abbey, will allow guests to stay at its newly restored buildings on the grounds mid-February this year. After nearly three years renovation, which included repairing a roof that gave way some decades ago and drying the interiors, the buildings, known as the London Lodge are now ready for guests. While this may seem like an amazing…
The Thailand Pavilion at the annual Global Village in Dubai is attracting visitors by offering them sweet coconut water and a variety of fresh fruits. The Thai pavilion also has skewered shrimps and other delicacies on offer. For those who get tired of walking in the sprawling exhibition area, the Thai pavilion has a massage section where you can relax and have all the knots in your back removed, improve blood…
If you're flying on an Airbus A330 American Airlines flight from San Francisco International Airport to London Heathrow, there's a one in 2,783,874 chance that your flight will go down, according to the newly released app, “Am I Going Down?”. That is to say, if you take a flight every day for the next 7,627 years, you are unlikely to experience even one incident! App developer Nic Johns states that he made…
Flydubai flight FZ 215, with 154 passengers onboard, was struck by gunfire as it landed at Baghdad International Airport on Monday. The UAE airline, along with Emirates and Etihad Airways, has suspended flights to and from Baghdad, taking the necessary safety measures compliant with a UAE General Civil Aviation Authority directive. Two passengers onboard were reported to have minor injuries by the gunfire,…
More than 1.1 billion tourists traveled abroad in 2014, according to a report published by the UN World Tourism Organization. China accounted for 109 million tourists making it the world's No.1 outbound market generating more than $129 billion in tourism revenue for the places visited by the Chinese tourists. The Middle East attracted 50 million tourists in 2014 showing a growth of 4%. The Americas welcomed…
A major snowstorm #Blizzard2015 is underway in the northeastern United States which has disrupted thousands of flights to and from New York, Boston and adjoining cities. Etihad, Emirates and Qatar Airways have all canceled their flights operating to New York. Emirates also canceled their flight to Boston. Residents have been warned to prepare for the year's worst snowstorm by hoarding up on essentials. Bare…
French rapper Mister You (Younes Latifi) likes the food there. The French Algerian singer Khaled whose famous song Didi was performed during the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, is also a regular customer. Arsenal and France football player Abou Diaby eats there, too. So what is Le Jumeyrah? This is a Parisian restaurant where you can enjoy French cuisine in the comfort of knowing that…
The Conrad Hotels have an app for their tech savvy guests which helps them in ordering dinner or arranging an airport pickup or booking a spa without calling the front desk. If you are a regular guest at Conrad Hotels worldwide, the app could be useful in preparing for your trip. It can also act as an important aide during your stay. Many hotels have launched their apps lately and it remains to be seen if…
“Internet connectivity is no longer an amenity. It has become an integral part of travelers’ daily lives and a basic expectation,” said Kristine Rose, vice president of brands for Hyatt. “Travelers shouldn’t have to remember which brands or locations offer it for free or the strings attached to get it.”
While it may get cold in winter, this is the best time for people from the Middle East to visit Beijing and see the Great Wall of China. Summer temperatures are generally hot and the crowds are at times unbearable. In winter there is hardly any tourist to see this marvel of human construction and you are less likely to be hassled by pesky souvenir sellers. It is a commonly held belief that the Great Wall of…
If hiking up a mountain or walking on a hilly road for six hours and discovering an abandoned village are things that give you pleasure, you will experience the ultimate joy at the newly opened Alila Jabal Akhdar Hotel in Oman. Even getting to the hotel will be an adventure - it is a 2.5 hours drive from Muscat Airport and you need a 4X4 to get there. Perched 2,000 meters above sea level in Jabal Akhdar,…
It has been 20 years since Dubai created a shopping extravaganza that has been copied around the region but remains a major source of atttracting tourists to the city. In the early days it was just retail attractions and raffle tickets which brought people to Dubai. Today, 20 years on, Dubai still offers luxury cars and gold jewelry raffles but the Dubai Shopping Festival also brings with it several pop music…
It is not surprising if you have never heard of Pilsen. It is not a new city. It has been around since 1295. Located in Western Bohemia in the Czech Republic, it is about 100km southwest of the capital Prague. Major tourist attractions of the city are the Republic Square with museums and galleries nearby, the St. Bartholomew's Cathedral, the Great Synagogue and Adolf Loos interiors. Loos was a famous…
In November 2014, just in time for the Formula 1 Grand Prix a new retail destination opened its doors in Abu Dhabi - the spanking new Yas Mall. It has very quickly become the most happening place in Abu Dhabi. Yas Mall has 370 retail, food and entertainment outlets including a 20-screen Vox cinema with the largest IMAX screen in Abu Dhabi. It is directly connected to Ferrari World and is near Yas Waterworld…
