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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Air Canada has announced that they will start thrice weekly direct flights from Toronto Pearson airport to Dubai from November 2015. This will be the first direct Air Canada flight to the Middle East. After the introduction of the 787 Dreamliner to its fleet, Air Canada has been expanding its international network. In the last one year it has announced new international service to Delhi, Amsterdam, Rio de…
Are you having a pleasant flight? Now British Airways knows exactly how happy you are flying with them. An experimental new blanket and head-band is being used by BA to test the physical and mental state of passengers during every phase of the flight. How does the new BA menu impact the body, how does the in-flight entertainment affect the passenger's mood and what is the impact of the advanced lighting system…
If you want to see a glorius sunset head off to the newest Movenpick Hotel and Resort that opened on December 6 2014 in Koh Samui, Thailand. The resort overlooks several tropical islands in the Gulf of Thailand and is located on the northwest coast of Koh Samui. When you are in Thailand you have to enjoy the gastronomic delights of the country and the hotel's Terrace restaurant offers an open-air beachfront…
United Airlines will be equipping their 23,000 flight attendants with the iPhone 6 Plus. The devices will have the ability to handle most onboard retail transactions and will place important safety and service information at flight attendants’ fingertips. In future they will replace the flight attendants’ printed safety manual with an electronic version on their iPhones and provide real-time reporting and…
The Art Institute of Chicago has unveiled its new Islamic Art gallery with a collection of more than 100 items ranging from small tiles and utensils to a pair of 12ft tall wooden doors from 14th century Morocco. Rotating presentations of Islamic painting, calligraphy, textiles, and carpets will supplement the items on permanent display. “I believe visitors will be astonished by the high quality and creative…
Do you have any award winning photographs in your collection? Now is the time to gain international recognition for your photographic skills. The organizers of the Sony World Photography Awards are accepting submissions until January 5 2015. Travel photography is one of several categories in which you can submit your photographs. In the 2015 Awards, professional and enthusiast photographers will compete…
If you are planning a trip to Hong Kong, you have to add one more item in your to-do list. There is a new giant ferris wheel by the HK Harbour, near the Central train stop. The 60 meter high Hong Kong Observation Wheel has just opened to visitors. It has 42 gondolas with a seating capacity of 8 people in each. The HK Observation Wheel has partnered with Hong Kong Telecom to provide free wifi to all visitors.…
Boston is famous for being home to John F. Kennedy, the first Irish-Catholic President of the United States. And now the Irish are taking over the venerable downtown Boston landmark that once was home to Filene's department store and its equally famous bargain basement aptly called Filene's Basement. In the Fall of 2015 the first Primark store in the United States will open in downtown Boston. Primark, which…
Winter in Switzerland means having a nice warm, delicious cheese fondue. And the best place to have it is the Paz Europa Fondue Hutte in Zurich opposite the main train station. While Switzerland is famous for strawberries and fruits dipped in chocolate fondue, come winter the Swiss trade in chocolate for some warm melted cheese. For the ultimate fondue experience, you can take a train from Zurich’s…
Qatar Airways is adding significant additional flights on its European routes starting next year. Copenhagen will have 11 weekly flights while Barcelona and Manchester will now be served by two flights a day. Stockholm, which is served by a daily flight will now have 10 flights a week. These changes come into effect in February 2015. So, if you are planning a vacation early next year, this is the best time to…
Dubai now has another luxury destination. The Four Seasons Hotel has just opened in Dubai at Jumeirah Beach. The resort's 237 rooms and suites open to large balconies some of which can accommodate a dining table for those who wish to dine with the stars or see the glittering Dubai skyline. Simon Casson, Regional Vice President and General Manager of Four Seasons Resort Dubai, has this to say about the new…
If you have wanted to fly on the Airbus A380 and have not been able to yet, Emirates Airline is making it possible for you to experience it by adding three more routes which will be served by the wide bodied, double-storied aircraft. Over three consecutive days this week, Emirates will be upgrading to A380s which will take you to San Francisco, Milan and Houston. Emirates has 55 A380s in its fleet and will…
The Turkish government is building a new $100 million mosque and cultural center in Lanham, Maryland, a suburb of Washington DC to cater to the needs of the city's large Muslim population. Spread over 15 acres, the Turkish American Community Center will have a coffee house for 200 people, 5 gift shops, a cultural center, a 200-seat theater, an exhibition hall, a computer lab, a library, parking for 350…
The year's busiest travel day in the United States is the day before Thanksgiving. Wednesday, Nov 26 2014 was a day when 46 million people in the United States were expected to travel. But then came a snow storm. Affecting the northeastern US, from New Jersey to Maine, the winter's first major snow storm disrupted several thousand flights and also created long delays on the interstate highways used by…
Yemen's Tourism Ministry wants to promote the country as a destination for Islamic Tourism. A spokesperson recently commented that, “There are a large number of cities, towns and villages in Yemen that are home to important historical and Islamic sites. We have a number of historical mosques and old centers of learning that would make attractive tourist destinations. [Tourists] can go to Sana’a, Taiz,…
The UAE will be celebrating its National Day on December 2. A public sector holiday from Dec 2-6 is expected to bring in a large number of shoppers to shopping malls and eating places. In anticipation of the rush, the Mall of the Emirates is gearing up for the festivities. From November 25th - December 4th, there will be daily entertainments including an agile crew of artists who will perform choreographed…
Qatar Airways will commence flights to the exotic highland city of Asmara in Eritrea from December 4 2014. Asmara was the largest Italian enclave in Africa in the 19th century and remained under Italian control until 1941 when it was taken over by the British. Eritrea finally gained independence in 1999 and Asmara is the country's capital. Italian architecture is visible all over the city which is situated at…
If you are a frequent flyer you may have encountered several frustrating aspects of your airport experience. The first one is getting there. Many airports are far and expensive to get to - not counting the time it takes to get there. Once you are at an airport you may want to use their rest rooms and these can be irritatingly unclean. Exorbitantly priced food outlets at airports are another worry. Airport…
Dubai's iconic Burj al Arab is one of several hotels that are part of the Jumeirah Group which keep winning awards. The latest accolade was won by Burj al Arab when readers of Conde Nast Traveler annointed it as the Best Hotel in the Middle East & North Africa. The Jumeirah Emirates Towers ranked No.7 while the Jumeirah Beach Hotel was ranked No.8 in the Condé Nast Traveler Reader's Choice Awards 2014.…
Imagine having your family or friends see you off at the airport. Imagine a tearful farewell. And then you head off to your flight. Now imagine reaching your seat in the plane and seeing a custom made headrest message from someone who came to the airport to see you off. KLM has just pulled off this feat. Leaving a tear or two to wipe before the flight took off. According to KLM's YouTube site, "The Cover…
The cobbled streets of Venice tend to give your wheeled suitcases a bumpy ride. To protect them from damage the Venice City Council is in the process of enacting a law that prohibts rolling suitcases on the few pavements and streets that exist in this city of gondolas and canals. The official reason for the ban is noise pollution. Venetian officials claim that the noise of tourists dragging their bags over…
Weddings are generally extravagant events. You know you are going overboard and spending irrationally. But it's a wedding. A grand experience is what is required! And The Ritz-Carlton hotels in the GCC are keen to make sure that your extravagant moment happens at their ballroom. If you are planning to invite 1,000 guests to your wedding, you can consider The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal. Several…
In the late 1700s Bond Street was the favorite haunt of ‘The Bond Street Loungers’; dapper men who promenaded the street and became the early fashionistas or ‘peacocks’ of their day. They were depicted in literature and art. To celebrate this year’s shopping season, Bond Street is recreating a 300 year old tradition by a £1 million festive illumination scheme that has white peacock feathers adorning one of…
The world’s most famous bridge has something new to offer. The 120 years old Tower Bridge of London is now inviting visitors to experience a special glass walkway. The 11m long and 1.8m wide walkway allows visitors to see through the glass floor to the Thames river and traffic on the bridge below. For those who plan their visit in advance, you can experience the magic of the bridge opening up below your feet to…
