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 Sun reports that Jay-Z is buying an island in the Bahamas. He is spending $2 million on his own land in North Abaco so his wife Beyonce and daughter Blue Ivy can have a vacation in peace. The couple could transform the island into something similar to Richard Branson’s Necker Island and use it as a place to holiday with their daughter, Blue Ivy. “He’s getting it partly to mark their fifth wedding…
Looking for an afternoon tea service that’s the — clotted — cream of the crop and promises the full British experience? An annual award described as the ‘Oscars’ of the tea world in the UK has named high tea at The Goring Hotel in London the best in class. That’s because tea at the posh Belgravia-area hotel starts with an assortment of flavors with heady, elaborate descriptors like hand-picked…
Located in the heart of Helsinki, the Hotel Finn has a job vacancy for an unusual position—a professional “sleeper”. The hotel is looking for one lucky person to test the comfort of its 35 rooms, who will have to blog about his/her experience. According to hotel manager Tio Tikka, they are looking for “a dynamic person to write a quality blog” about their stay at “the best spot of summery…
In the one and only ‘Magic Kingdom’ (Disney Park), lies a place where the clock literally never strikes midnight—Cinderella’s Castle. Within the Castle contains one of the most exclusive hotel rooms, as it can’t be booked even if you had all the money in the world. The Cinderella Castle Suite can accommodate up to six people and contains antique furniture from the 17th and 18th century.…
A rare and complete sub-fossilized Elephant bird egg that is more than 100 times the size of an ordinary chicken egg is up for auction in London. Elephant birds became extinct sometime between the 13th and 17th centuries. Resembling a heavily-built ostrich, it would have stood up to 11 feet high. It is thought the bird was hunted to extinction. The complete, sub-fossilized egg is 12 inches high and 8…
David and Victoria Beckham are selling their country estate in England, known as Beckingham Palace, and moving their family to the city. According to UK reports, the mansion in Hertfordshire, which includes a helipad and recording studio, is on the market for £10million ($15 million). David and Victoria bought the country house following their marriage in 1999 for pound £2.5million and since then have…
The New Orleans Carriage Cab has become the first taxi company in the US to install backseat soft drinks vending machines. The machines, which dispense sodas for a fee of US$0.99 and accept credit card payments, have been tested for six months and are now being rolled out officially across the company’s 250-car fleet. Rear-seat passengers have access to a touch-screen interface, built into the back of…
Influential food blog The Daily Meal has curated a list of the world’s best hostels in an unexpected category: their food offerings. In their list of top 20 food hostels, standard fare like burgers and chicken nuggets are replaced with regional specialities like maple whiskey mousse in Vermont, organic oatmeal and fruits in San Francisco, and an assortment of Moroccan breads and locally harvested honeys in…
Luxury hotel brand The Four Seasons has announced an ‘Around the World’ travel itinerary that touches down in Hawaii, Bora Bora, Bali, Sydney and Mumbai aboard a private luxury jet that comes with a personal chef and onboard concierge. Built around Four Seasons properties around the world, the 23-day itinerary for 2014 includes stops in Bali, where guests will take part in Balinese cooking classes and in…
German company Lürssen has launched Azzam, the world’s largest private yacht, eclipsing the previous record holder, Roman Abramovich‘s 533-foot Eclipse. Designed by Nauta Yachts in Italy, the $609 million Azzam is almost two football fields long and rivals the size of some cruise ships. It took four years to complete from concept to construction. Amongst many other features the yacht has a main salon with a…
From apps that will help travelers find the nearest coffee joint to a guide to chef-recommended restaurants, Travel + Leisure has curated a list of the top food-related apps for the globetrotting gourmand. Among their top picks is Ness, which claims to tailor restaurant recommendations to individual tastes. After users give their rating for 10 restaurants they’ve visited in the past, the app uses an algorithm…
The largest island off the north shore of Belize, Ambergris Caye, which boasts bragging rights to being home to the second largest barrier reef after Australia, has been named the most beautiful island in the world by travel site TripAdvisor. With a coastline protected by 306 km (190 miles) of coral reef – the largest in the Western hemisphere – Ambergris Caye has become a favorite destination for divers. The…
The Hotel de Crillon in Paris is closing this weekend for a two-year-long makeover that includes a new spa and sweeping renovations. The stone building was commissioned by French King Louis XV and built in 1758. It is one of two twin buildings overlooking the emblematic Place de La Concorde, where French King Louis XVI was guillotined. The hotel, currently owned by Saudi royals, has attracted celebrity…
Tokyo’s first amphibious tourist buses were put into service Sunday, carrying 40 passengers through the city’s low eastern side by road before taking to the Naka river during a 100-minute “Tokyo Splash Tour.” The two buses, dubbed “Sky Ducks”, departed from Tokyo’s new landmark Skytree, the world’s tallest communications tower at 634 metres (2,080 feet). Tickets are priced at 2,800 yen ($30) apiece for an…
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has asked leading Dutch designer Hella Jongerius to revitalise its World Business Class cabin interior across the fleet. With a color palette based on different shades of blue, a polka dot motif, panels, curtains and cushions are meant to warm up the cabin and help passengers feel more at ease during their flight. The cabin will also feature new full-flat seats that can be reclined…
Monaco plans to expand its tiny territory by building a six hectare peninsula into the Mediterranean, the city-state’s monarch Prince Albert announced Friday. “I have decided to launch an extension into the sea to the east of the principality after having studied various proposals since 2008,” Albert said. The affluent city-state of 2 square kilometres (0.8 square miles) has already extensively used land…
The Haoduo Panda Hotel in China is said to be the world’s first panda-themed hotel. Located at the foot of Emei Mountain in southwest China’s Sichuan province, the quirky hotel has rooms decorated with panda pictures, cuddly panda soft toys perched on beds, tables and chairs, and staff that dress up in panda costumes to entertain guests. Haoduo Panda Hotel officially opens in May, with room rates…
Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has confirmed its first test flight to check a new battery system on its flagship 787 Dreamliner went “according to plan”. Boeing has been forced to redesign the battery on the aircraft after a series of malfunctions saw the entire fleet of 50 Dreamliners presently in operation grounded earlier this year. The American firm said in a statement it would analyse the data and…
Hilton Hotels & Resorts has announced the opening of the 158-room Hilton Alexandria Corniche following a major refurbishment programme. The hotel represents the 19th upscale property in Egypt for Hilton Worldwide and its second in the city of Alexandria. With a key focus on the brand’s signature service and style standards, the refurbishment and rebranding programme covered many of the hotel’s public…
Low-cost carrier easyJet has launched its first flight between London Gatwick and Moscow. This is the first time Moscow has been served from London Gatwick airport, with the airline expecting to fly more than a quarter of a million passengers between London and Moscow annually. Four daily flights will depart at 07:00 and arrive at Moscow Domededovo Airport at 13:50 with the return flight departing…
The Outline for National Tourism and Leisure (2013-2020), issued by the State Council of China, focuses on promoting the taking of paid annual leave days and boosting the healthy development of the tourism sector in China, in particular by ensuring the coordination of different sectors. Where previously cultural norms have stopped many in China from taking an annual leave, the…
To celebrate National Noodle Month, Cathay Pacific is inviting fans to submit a noodle dish that will be featured on their in-flight menu. Until April 19, fans can submit their noodle recipe on Cathay’s Facebook page. Dishes will be judged by Canadian food and travel blogger Mijune Park; celebrity Chinese chef Martin Yan of San Francisco restaurant M.Y. China; and chef Sang Yoon of gastropub brand…
Renowned architecture firm Zaha Hadid has unveiled designs for a cultural complex in China. Situated in the heart of Changsha, the ‘Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Art Center’ will be made up of three buildings—the Contemporary Art Museum, a Grand Theater, and a Multipurpose Hall—and offers other facilities. The place for theatre and art would be designed in the modern style of the…
The rock-themed Backstage Hotel in central Amsterdam is designed specifically for music-lovers—the entire space is styled to put one in “the mood of just coming off, or going on stage”. Offering a range of shared and private rooms—from single rooms to five-person rooms—this ultra-cool hotel, with its gorgeous interiors, would no doubt make guests feel like a rock star on a world tour. With a…
