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.
Read full storyShowing 1,177–1,200 of 5,397
We've heard of hotels made entirely of ice, legos and even chocolate but there's a new addition to this list of weird and it can be found in a fairly large hotel in Bolivia: The Hotel Palacio de Sal Hotel & Spa, recently remodeled, is built entirely of salt: Walls, floors, ceilings, and much of its implementation and decorations: Chairs, tables, beds, sculptures, and some are made of salt. It's…
As British Airways prepares to receive its first Dreamliners and A380s, the man charged with keeping customers happy outlines his plans. What three words scare the hell out of a British Airways cabin crew? Brace, brace, brace? Engine latch open? Try saying: “Van der Post.” I first heard the words before I had even heard of Frank van der Post, BA’s new consumer boss. I was flying from Boston to London…
In 2022, as the small Arab state of Qatar hosts the World Cup, many new concerns the desert weather, cooling, accommodation and infrastructure have risen in discussion. Finnish architecture firm Sigge and Global Accomodation Management (GAM) have proposed to build floating hotels and villas that are separate from the mainland of Qatar for the 2022 World Cup. The designs are projected to house up to…
A sprawling, palatial hotel and residence signed by luxury label Versace is set to open its doors next summer in the heart of Dubai. Specs for the Palazzo Versace Dubai are impressive. Hotel guests and residents will be offered a range of luxury amenities that include a lagoon, sandy beach, waterfront pedestrian promenade, male and female day spa and salon, indoor and outdoor swimming pools and, of course,…
Dubai, UAE; June 23, 2013: This Holy Month of Ramadan, mark your evenings in dignified grace in the company of friends and family at 'Downtown', a dedicated Ramadan tent with an Arabic-style courtyard, large arcades, hundreds of lanterns and chandeliers and a colourful yet soothing ambiance. Guests can break their fasts and continue to have a pleasant evening until Souhour. They also have the option of…
Dubai, UAE; June 20, 2013: ENOC Aviation, the specialised business division of Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) focused on jet fuel marketing, has won the Best Jet Fuel Marketer in the Africa and Middle East region for the fifth consecutive year at the recent Armbrust Aviation Awards held alongside the IATA Fuel Forum in Berlin, Germany. The honour is presented by Armbrust Aviation Group, a…
MUSCAT, Oman – June 20, 2013 – Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel continues to retain its iconic reputation as a “jewel of the Sultanate”, by winning Business Traveller Middle East award for the “Best Business Hotel in Muscat” for the fifth consecutive year. Commenting on the awards Bernard N. Viola, General Manager Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel said: “Al Bustan Palace has, over the years, become…
Europe’s third-largest budget airline has apologised to passengers for refusing them water, food and blankets on long-haul flights. Norwegian Air Shuttle described the experiences of passengers on two of its flights from New York to Bangkok as “totally unacceptable”. On one, from Oslo to New York, a 16-year-old complained that he was “left to freeze” after being unable to pay for a blanket. A…
The friendliest, most helpful and efficient flight attendants in the world are predominantly found on Asian airlines. That’s according to flyers across 160 countries who completed 18 million customer satisfaction surveys which asked respondents to rate their favorite airline cabin crew. Topping Skytrax World Airline Awards category of best cabin staff: Hong Kong’s flagship carrier Cathay Pacific,…
Middle Eastern and Asian carriers have emerged the big winners in a list of the world’s top 20 airlines as decided by flyers from 160 countries. Emirates took the top spot at the 2013 edition of the Skytrax World Airline Awards held at the Paris Air Show this week, where the Dubai-based carrier succeeded in bumping rival Qatar from a place it’s occupied for the last two years. The winners are based on…
Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal says he is looking at the world’s largest cities, including Shanghai, Moscow, London and New York, as possible locations to build a mile-high skyscraper that would be the world’s tallest building by far. The prince is inviting Dubai’s biggest real estate developer Emaar Properties, chaired by Mohammed Alabbar, to team up with his investment firm Kingdom Holding on…
Architectural firms C.F. Møller and Dinell Johansson and consultant Tyréns have recently collaborated on a proposal to build the world’s tallest wooden skyscraper in Stockholm, Sweden. They claimed that the 34-storey wooden skyscraper would be “cheaper, easier and more sustainable than typical steel and concrete constructions”. According to C. F. Møller architect Ola Jonsson, “construction accounts…
TAIPEI, Taiwan – June 19th, 2013 – EVA Air today joins the Star Alliance network, further strengthening the Alliance’s presence in Asia/Pacific. At the official joining ceremony held at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport Mark Schwab, CEO Star Alliance said: “EVA Air has successfully completed all joining requirements and I can confirm that our Chief Executive Board (CEB) has now unanimously accepted EVA Air…
Paris Air Show, FRANCE – Qatar Airways took home three honours at the annual Skytrax 2013 World Airline Awards held during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget today. The airline was awarded World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Lounge and, for the second consecutive year, Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East. The World Airline Awards are a global benchmark of airline…
Trump Hotel Collection is the latest hotel chain to join the health and wellness movement, launching services that offer low-calorie menus and fitness programs that allow guests to work out in their room. Debuting on Monday, the “Trump Wellness” program rolled out across the brand’s luxury properties in the US, Canada and Panama in partnership with Technogym and sports apparel brand Under Armour, which will…
Dubai, UAE (June 16, 2013) – If you are looking for a unique way to celebrate Ramadan with your family and friends, Tilal Liwa Hotel, a secluded hideaway leisure resort which is perched at the edge of the Rub Al Khali desert, is offering festive packages designed to treat guests to a traditional Ramadan experience. Guests can indulge in a sumptuous iftar buffet at Al Badiya Restaurant offering a spread of…
Designed by Vo Trong Nghia Architects, the new restaurant at Kontum Indochine Hotel in Vietnam makes full use of its natural surroundings. The restaurant is supported by 15 bamboo columns which were modeled after the shape of Vietnamese fishing baskets. Customers will also be able to get a view of the river and the surrounding mountains. The roof is also partially made of plastic to let…
Built around 1900, the Karosta Prison in Latvia is considered to be even more impressive that Alcatraz Prison in the USA. Lodging at the Karosta Prison takes place in a prison cell, sleeping on either old mattresses on wooden boards or iron bunk beds. A “prison meal” is even included! Visitors can take an interactive tour of the prison, where each visitor takes the part of a prisoner,…
A futuristic-looking luxury hotel made up of spaceship-like discs that recalls Star Trek’s Enterprise is set to be built partially underwater in the Maldives. The Polish developers of the Water Discus Hotel received the green light last week by the national ministry of tourism to begin construction off the island of Kuredhivaru, where the ambitious underwater project will be built amidst delicate coral…
After a cull through more than 133 million online searches on Google, Bing, Yandex in Russia and Baidu in China, Hilton Hotels and Resorts has emerged as the most sought-after luxury hotel brand in the world. That’s according to the recently released World Luxury Index Hotels report, which looked at the top 70 brands in the world and ranked them in a tidy list that ranks their online popularity. Here are…
MUSCAT - The Salalah Tourism Festival 2013 will be inaugurated on the second day of Eid al Fitr in August and will continue for 25 days, H E Sheikh Salim bin Aufait al Shanfari, head of Dhofar Municipality and head of the festival organising committee said on Tuesday. The theme this year is ‘Oman - Giving and Loyalty’. More than 1.8mn visitors experience the festival annually and enjoy the region’s…
‘+ Pool’, the brainchild of New York-based design studios Playlab and Family, is a project that aims to convert a part of New York City’s East River into a swimming pool. The ‘+ Pool’ will act like a “giant strainer dropped into the river”, filtering out bacteria and contaminants, leaving clean and natural river water that meets city and state standards for swimming. Measuring over 9,000-square feet…
"Awesome Maps" is what a group of fun-loving, travel-fanatic surf fans is called. They had come back from their surfing adventures and wanted to chart their amazing travel experiences, but couldn't find maps that could meet their requirements. So they got together and illustrated a map of the surfing world on their terms. They quickly discovered that they were helping other avid surf fans discover new…
South African-based designers Ben Johnston and Tariq Latiff have designed a ‘Gentleman’s Travel Kit’ for Farewell Company, a brand that makes handmade leather goods. Taking the idea from the old Nomad symbol of a circle icon with a line—which means the Good road to travel—the pair incorporated a selection of traveling essentials for the modern gentlemen. This project is one of branding, typography, and…
