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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DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways will officially move to its new home at Hamad International Airport (HIA), the world’s newest state-of-the art hub, on May 27, 2014, when the world-class facility will become the new home for the national carrier of the State of Qatar. Qatar Airways, which has been operating out of Doha International Airport for 17 years, has grown from operating only a handful of aircraft…
Airport Show 2014, starting today at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, is a 3-day event catering to B2B exhibitiors that deal in airport procurement, supplies, solutions and technology. This year the show will fit across a 12,600 square metres gross exhibition space with 250 exhibitors from 39 countries. This is the 14th edition of the show and it will run from 11- 13 May 2014.
AIR FRANCE has unveiled its new first-class section in Shanghai, fuelling an international luxury-seating race to win over Asia’s rising number of high fliers The airline’s “haute couture” suite will feature a seat that reclines into a bed stretching 2.01 metres long and 77 centimetres across (6 ft 7 ins and 30 inches) — one of the most spacious in the world. A total of 76 of the seats will be fitted…
A "scandal" seems to have broken out in the British media with the revelation that Pizza Express restaurants in England use Halal chicken for their chicken pizzas. The pizza chain never kept this fact a secret and had posted information about using Halal chicken on its website. Apparently they do not mention it in their menu so the Islamophobic Sun created a fuss over it. A number of Subway restaurants in…
Concluding four days of travel trade business, Reed Travel Exhibitions, the organiser of Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2014, which comes to a close today (8 May), reports that visitor numbers topped 23,000, up by over 2,100 or more than 10% on 2013 figures. The record-breaking show, now in its 21st year is the largest travel trade exhibitor showcase in the Middle East, accommodated over 2,700 exhibitors with 120…
Turns out 2015 is a big year for the cruising industry with two major lines celebrating milestone birthdays. Princess Cruises will mark its 50th anniversary and has launched a special commemorative itinerary to Mexico that will retrace its maiden journey with ports of call to Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Manzanillo. The 14-day cruise will depart December 3 — 50 years to the day after the line’s…
Macau is set to become home to a strikingly dramatic luxury hotel designed by British architect Zaha Hadid that involves voids and negative spaces cut out of the 40-story building, enveloped in a latticed or ‘exoskeletal’ shell. When it opens in 2017, the City of Dreams Hotel Tower in Macau will house 780 guestrooms, suites and sky villas. Artist renderings reveal an expressive and powerful design:…
Last night’s win at The MENA Travel Awards secured the second travel award for Citymax Hotels in as many days. The Landmark Group hotel brand is now the proud owner of the two titles; Best Price Value Hotel, MENA Travel Awards and Middle East’s Leading Budget Hotel Brand, World Travel Awards. “Receiving the nominations and of course winning renowned travel awards is an endorsement of quality from the voters…
To commemorate the official opening of Royal Pavilion Villas by Qasr Al Sarab, General Manager Patrick Both and Area General Manager Wael Soueid presented the Director of Promotions and Overseas Office at TCA, Mubarak Al Nuaimi with a framed picture of the latest all villa offering from Anantara Hotels Resorts & Spas. Royal Pavilion Villas is a resort within a resort featuring 10 luxurious pool villas, located…
Etihad Airways has raised the bar in luxury travel with the launch of a new three-room apartment that comes with an en-suite shower, double bed and personal butler. Visitors to this years ATM in Dubai can see the new suites first-hand. Called ‘The Residence,’ Etihad has transformed part of its A380 upper deck into a luxurious flying hotel suite that offers a trio of compartments including a living room…
The Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez is sure to be among the places to be seen during the Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25). Tourists and festival insiders alike will mingle on the hotel’s private beach and restaurant, which is offering a special menu in honor of its 10th anniversary. Throughout the month of May, the Zplage will present guests with several new options for their starter and main…
The Indonesian Vice Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Mr. Sapta Nirwandar, is in Dubai taking part in the Arabian Travel Market with a large group of exhibitors. The country that is made up of more than 18,000 islands is a destination that was visited by more than 150,000 tourists from the Middle East last year. Mr. Nirwandar wants to increase that number beyond 200,000 in 2014. Indonesia offers lush…
New York's legendary luxury jewelry designer Tiffany & Co. has arrived on one of the most famous boulevards in the entire world, the Champs-Elysées. The 10,000 square-foot store is comfortably situated at the intersection of the Champs-Elysées and Rue la Boétie within view of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This new three-story flagship store's interior design includes a custom chandelier of cascading…
Travelers to London will now be able to stay at the tallest building in Europe - The Shard - starting May 6 2014 when the Shangri-La Hotel opens its doors to welcome guests at their iconic location. As the tallest hotel in Western Europe and the first high-rise hotel in London, the Shangri-La occupies levels 34 to 52 of the 72-storey Shard - the 306-metre-high, glass-clad building with panoramic views of St…
More than 600 flights a week will be diverted to the new Al Maktoum International - Dubai World Central (DWC) airport in Jebel Ali, because of the runway repairs and renovation taking place at Dubai International Airport. From May 1 to July 20 2014 several airlines including Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei Airlines and Yemenia Airlines will be shifting to DWC. flydubai will be shifting some of its flights to DWC…
When you cater to the rich and famous you sometimes come up with famously expensive ideas. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts have decided to charter a 52 seater VIP jet to take their well-heeled customers on journeys of a lifetime. Starting in February 2015, a Four Seasons branded Boeing 757 will fly up to 52 guests on three different vacation tours. This is the first fully branded private jet to enter the hotel…
The most expensive restaurant in the world is set to open its doors in June at the Hard Rock Hotel in Playa d’en Bossa, Ibiza. The restaurant, SubliMotion, will only allow 12 diners at a time, feeding them a whopping 20-course gastro-sensory meal and charging more than $2,000 by the end of it. So what makes SubliMotion so unique? Well, for starters, the restaurant is literally a virtual light show, with…
Dubai's Zuma Japanese restaurant has made it to No. 77 among the Top 100 restaurants in the world. They are the highest ranked restaurant in the MENA region and the only one to have been on the list for three successive years. Ajaz Sheikh, Managing Director for ZUMA Middle East and Turkey said: “To be listed in the World’s 50 Best ranking just once was an incredible achievement; to be recognized for the…
The Iraqi Government has announced that all airports in Iraqi will be closed between 1.00am on 29 April to 7.00pm on 30 April due to the Iraqi election. To ensure the safety of its passengers and crew, Etihad Airways has made changes to its published flight schedule. The following Etihad Airways flights to Baghdad, Basra and Erbil have been cancelled: BAGHDAD (BGW) 29 April: EY555 Abu Dhabi -…
Tourism Ireland has extended its online presence in the GCC with a brand new Arabic website aimed at raising awareness of Ireland’s unique tourism offering and enticing more GCC residents to visit the island of Ireland in 2014. The new website follows the launch of its English equivalent early last year and is the latest example of Tourism Ireland’s continued investment in the Gulf. With a year on year…
Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui is offering a complimentary smartphone service to hotel guests.
Sir Richard Branson launched a worldwide appeal to help him find the child who, 26 years ago, asked a question that inspired him to launch his commercial spaceline Virgin Galactic. During a live appearance on a BBC TV show in 1988, Branson answered a viewer call from a young Shihan Musafer, who asked him “Have you ever thought about going into space?” It was a harebrained idea at the time, to which…
A luxury retail website has created a travel package inspired by the royal itinerary of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they continue along their three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand with Prince George. VeryFirstTo has created, in partnership with luxury travel operator Bridge & Wickers, a luxury travel package that includes visits to the places on the royal itinerary like the Blue Mountains…
The first Disneyland theme park resort in mainland China is to set to get an adjacent luxury shopping compound. The Shanghai Shendi Group announced a venture with luxury outlet chain Value Retail this week, Want China Times reports. ‘Shanghai Village’ will be located next to Shanghai Disney Resort, which is set to open its doors at the end of 2015. Located in the city’s Pudong district, the…
