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 1,297–1,320 of 5,397
The Ascott has entered Saudi Arabia by securing a management contract for its first premier serviced residence in Riyadh. The 230-unit Ascott Olaya Riyadh is slated to open near the King Abdullah Financial District in 2015. The management contract was awarded by Rafal Real Estate Development, the leading real estate development company in Saudi Arabia. The addition of Ascott Olaya Riyadh will…
Hertz Rent-a-Car has launched an Arabic language function across its Middle East regional websites, offering 86 million Arabic speaking internet users the option to book Hertz car rentals in their preferred language for the first time. The Arabic option, which will initially be made available across the local Hertz website domains in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan, is the latest in…
Qantas aims to provide a unique flying experience by offering specially curated books called ‘Stories For Every Journey’ for its passengers. These books are one-of-a-kind because each one is created to last just as long as the duration of your flight. The Australian airline worked with Droga5 and publishing house Hachette, to create this series. Do you think it's possible to tailor a book's…
During the annual film fest (running May 15-26) hotels in Cannes hike up their usual rates by 178 percent on average, according to French tourist site Allovoyages.fr. This year guests will have to shell out on average between €200 and €250 a night for a room in central Cannes. And some hotels have no qualms about bumping up the bill to dizzying heights. One of the most impressive rate hikes is at the…
The 15th-floor penthouse at the Residences at W Hollywood in Los Angeles is on the market for $45 million. The 25,000 sq. ft. penthouse has four bedrooms, eight bathrooms and 340-degree views of the Hollywood Hills, downtown Los Angeles, Century City and the ocean. It includes a ballroom that can fit 250 people, a wine room and wine vault, a screening room with LCD projection, a solarium, a gallery…
Michelin inspectors have awarded Hiroshima the city’s first three-star restaurant in the inaugural issue for the region, which now expands the brand’s coverage of Japan’s culinary landscape from three guides to four. Nakashima restaurant, which serves traditional Japanese dishes using seasonal ingredients, puts the overall tally of triple Michelin-star restaurants in Japan at 37. The inaugural…
Tragedy has struck—the world’s biggest rubber duck that made its debut in Hong Kong waters earlier this month has deflated. (Remember this story we posted on Irhal a few weeks ago?) Some of the parts of the six-story high sculpture created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman was broken; thus, organizers deflated it overnight for maintenance work. “We scheduled a body check for these two days. If…
Qatar Airways has resumed Boeing 787 Dreamliner services from London Heathrow after a worldwide grounding of the aircraft in January. The Doha-based carrier was the first to launch the Boeing 787 Dreamliner service from the UK in December, and today’s return to service means it remains the only airline in the world to operate scheduled 787 flights to and from the United Kingdom. Landing at London…
Receipts from international tourism in destinations around the world grew by four per cent in 2012, reaching US$1,075 billion, figures from the UNWTO reveal. This growth is equal to the four per cent increase in international tourist arrivals, which reached 1,035 million in 2012. An additional US$ 219 billion was recorded in receipts from international passenger transport, bringing total exports…
The next time you fly out of LAX, instead of paying $20 or $30 a day to leave your car sitting in a parking lot, you could earn $10 to $20 a day by renting your car to someone else while you’re on vacation. “Your alternatives are a taxi -- that costs money; parking -- that costs money; or have your wife take you to the airport -- that has its own costs,” said Jim Meyer, co-founder of the latest car-sharing…
Several temporary eateries and ad hoc hangouts will be popping up along the Croisette during the annual Cannes Festival (May 15-26). Here’s a quick list of where to go to see (stars!) and be seen: Nikki Beach Keeping up an annual tradition that’s been going strong for over 10 years now, Nikki Beach will be back on the sands of the Grand Hôtel by day and taking over the roof of Cannes’ JW Marriott by…
U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year — the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago. These fees — along with charges for boarding early or picking prime seats — have helped return the industry to profitability. Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since.…
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has concluded an agreement with the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the establishment of its Gulf Area office in Abu Dhabi, effective 1 June. “We are very pleased to be moving to our new home in Abu Dhabi. Today’s agreement reflects the recognition by the government of the UAE of the importance that aviation plays in driving economic growth…
Trinidad and Tobago has become UNWTO’s 156th Member State as the country rejoins the Organization after 35 years. The announcement was made by the Secretary General, Taleb Rifai, at the opening of the 55th Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Americas in San Jose, Costa Rica. “We are very happy to welcome Trinidad and Tobago back into the Organization, a country which was in fact a founding member of…
We have all looked up at the night sky and been fascinated by the dark sky filled with stars, yet, very few of us have seen what is really out there. GocheGanas together with SOLNA will show you another world which will leave you speechless and take your breath away, you will not believe your eyes when without a telescope there appears to be nothing there, yet, when looking through a telescope…
As of July 8, 2013, Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers will undergo full refurbishment of all guest rooms, the Vivaldi restaurant and other facilities in the hotel. The hotel will not be operational for 8-10 months and will be closed to the public. The extensive renovation of The Sheraton Dubai Creek hotel will include a complete redesign of the public spaces and all 262 rooms and suites to reflect the…
What do you do when you have a massive amount of LEGO tracks in your collection? For Henrik Ludvigsen, the answer was to attempt constructing the world’s longest LEGO railway. Turning to the internet and newspapers for help, he received even more LEGO rails from fans all over the world. Incorporating almost 100,000 bricks, the huge project measured almost 2.5 miles long and took six hours to…
British billionaire Richard Branson strutted his stuff as an AirAsia flight attendant Sunday — complete with fishnet stockings and figure-hugging red pencil skirt. His star turn on the flight from Australia’s Perth to the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur came after he lost a Grand Prix bet with the Malaysian budget carrier’s founder. Virgin boss Branson agreed with AirAsia chief executive Tony Fernandes…
Abu Dhabi’s busiest ever Arabian Travel Market participation – with the partners in the destination’s pavilion last week processing over 4,200 meetings and enquiries – reflects the huge, recent strides in the emirate’s tourism offering, according to pavilion organiser Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. “It was our most active participation yet with 52 pavilion co-sharers offering almost 90 product…
Tiger Airways will launch seven weekly services to Yogyakarta and Bandung from July 1st and August 1st 2013 respectively. Ho Yuen Sang, managing director, Tiger Airways Singapore, said: “Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, and is one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets. “Jakarta airport is currently experiencing some air traffic congestion, with more than 40…
Norwegian Long Haul has signed a memorandum of understanding with Virgin Atlantic. The agreement enables Norwegian to tap into Virgin Atlantic’s expertise on long-haul operations, while Virgin Atlantic’s instructors will receive pilot training on board Norwegian’s brand new 787-8 Dreamliner. Norwegian’s first Dreamliner is due for delivery at the end of June. The cooperation with Virgin Atlantic will…
Pop-up hotels, bespoke itineraries, once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences and ‘braincations’ are among some of the travel trends predicted to shape 2013. According to analysts at Hotels.com’s trendspotting spring report, “experiential travel” will be top of mind among globetrotters this year, as consumers seek out itineraries that follow the roads less traveled. For example, consumers are being…
With so many luxury hotels on the market and in your favorite cities, how do you choose where you stay? That's been the focus of luxury hotels for years -- how to make themselves stand out from all the others and be the number one choice for guests, in any city. Over the years we've seen some impressive and creative amenities launch from luxury hotels -- in-room virtual personal training, celebrity…
Italian jeans maker Diesel signed a deal with Venice city council on Tuesday to fund a 5-million-euro project to restore and clean the floating city’s famous Rialto Bridge. “Today a fundamental collaboration for the safeguarding of our common heritage comes to life,” mayor Giorgio Orsoni said after Renzo Rosso, founder and owner of Diesel, signed the contract. The work on the centuries-old bridge will…
