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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One of the most common frustrations among travelers on long- or short-haul flights appears to be badly behaved children. A survey carried out among 2,200 travelers by website TripAdvisor, shows that 37 percent of Britons would pay more to guarantee a peaceful flight without children. Around 34 percent said that children shouldn’t be allowed to fly in first-class cabins, while a fifth of flyers…
“Discovering Ka’aba” presents a replica of the Ka’aba and a Kiswah that once guarded the door of the Holy Ka’aba in the year 1181 A.H. (1767-1768 A.D.). The replica of the Ka’aba illustrates both its outer structure and its inner layout. It shows all special aspects including the black stone and (Maqa’am Al Ibrahim) or Prophet Abraham’s point. Rare photographs of the Ka’aba that depict its various facets will…
One&Only Cape Town has been named the Top City Hotel in Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure World’s 2012 Best Awards, confirming it is officially the best city hotel in the region. The international travel publication Travel + Leisure announced today One&Only Cape Town’s position as the No. 1 Top City Hotel in the Africa and Middle East region and voted No.14 on the list of Top 100 Hotels…
Palma de Mallorca, August, 2 2012. The ME London Hotel, the latest jewel on the urban hotel scene in London, is preparing the final details for its opening in September in central London. This is the fifth hotel for the ME by Meliá brand, the most avant-garde of the hotel brands operated by Meliá Hotels International, and boasts a spectacular design by the world renowned architectural firm Foster + Partners.…
DUBAI, U.A.E.,2nd August 2012: Emirates, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, continues its network expansion with the announcement of the start of daily services to Phuket in Thailand. Phuket, the largest island in Thailand located in the Andaman Sea, will, from 10th December, become Emirates’second destination in Thailand. Operated by a three-class Airbus aircraft, EK378 will depart Dubai at…
L’Oreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt, France’s richest woman, has sold a string of private islands in the Seychelles to a firm linked to an ocean conservation foundation. Bettencourt, 89, bought D’Arros Island along with several neighbouring islets for $18 million in 1998 and recently sold them for $60 million to a Seychelles-registered business, Housing and Habitat Minister Christian Lionnet said. The…
A new survey has found that Japanese fare is closing in on traditionally favored cuisines like Italian and French among globetrotters, with sushi the most sought after food within the Japanese culinary repertoire. Among 27,000 respondents surveyed by online accommodation site Hotels.com, 18 percent of respondents said they crave Japanese food when traveling, compared to 32 percent who named Italian cuisine,…
The Two Holy Mosques' Architecture Exhbition in Makkah is showcasing rare artifacts, inscriptions and photos as well as architectural features of the Ka'bah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. The artifacts include rare manuscript copies of the Quran and a variety of calligraphic inscriptions linked to Islamic history. Director of the exhibition, Mohsen Al Sulami said an average 1,000 people visit…
Virgin America partnered with Banana Republic to design new uniforms for its 2,000 in-flight and airport crew members that will debut Aug. 8. The uniforms will feature a fresh, modern look with aviation details and a palette inspired by the airline’s own inventive service style and signature cabin design. The new looks will be unveiled on Virgin America flights and at airports nationwide on August…
Virgin America partnered with Banana Republic to design new uniforms for its 2,000 in-flight and airport crew members that will debut Aug. 8. The uniforms will feature a fresh, modern look with aviation details and a palette inspired by the airline’s own inventive service style and signature cabin design. The new looks will be unveiled on Virgin America flights and at airports nationwide on August…
Flagship Australian airline Qantas is ditching BlackBerry for Apple’s iPhone and rolling out in-flight iPad entertainment streaming, dealing a blow to the US firm’s rivals. Qantas said it was switching 1,300 employee phones from Canada-based Research in Motion’s BlackBerry to the popular Apple device after a “large majority” of workers expressed a preference for the iPhone. “Transition from the…
The Hilton London Wembley officially opened its doors to the public in time for the Olympic Games. The hotel is located next to the Wembley Stadium and Arena in Wembley City, a redevelopment area with more than 1 million square feet of construction underway. One of the main projects in the area is the London Designer Outlet, a retail mall with high street and designer brands and restaurants. The…
W Hotels Worldwide announced on July 24 that it will open a new hotel in Bogotá, Colombia, one of the economic and cultural hubs of Latin America. W Bogota is part of a larger mixed-use development which will include high-end retail and office space. The hotel will be located in the colonial district of Usaquén, an area in the northern part of the Colombian capital which has become fashionable thanks…
Virgin Australia’s cabin staff will be taking part in an etiquette program branded Elevate to improve their posture, language, and knowledge of wine and food. The crew have also been asked to stop calling passengers “mate” unless the individual customer has specifically requested it in documented form as a member of the airline’s frequent flyers program. According to the Sunday Telegraph, one flight…
US First Lady Michelle Obama tops the list of ideal travel partners , according to a Hotels.com survey of 1,500 American hotel cutomers. With 18 percent of the overall votes, Michelle Obama made first place among the celebrities, historical, fictional and political figures Americans would most want as roommates on their next vacation. However, the first lady only came in third in the 18-29 age group,…
Latvian flag-carrier airBaltic on Monday announced plans to offer castles in the air by selling real estate to passengers as they fly. Interested travellers can buy a voucher for 30 euros ($36), which the airline says will save them up to 9,500 euros when they sign on the dotted line for a real estate purchase with a partner broker. The company made headlines last December when it began selling cars…
Sofitel announce the signing of a management contract with the Société des Palaces de Cocody (SPDC), representing the Ivorian State, which formalises the acquisition of the Hotel Ivoire in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) by the luxury brand of the French hotel group, Accor. "We are delighted that the Accor Group and Sofitel have been chosen to take over the management of this iconic hotel in the…
Emerging from the pulse of China's cultural heart, the new Four Seasons Hotel Beijing showcases the latest in amenities and technology combined with Four Seasons service. Located within the Central Business District, this property is set in the heart of Beijing’s most developed area. This premium property is now accepting reservations for stays beginning October 29. Arranged around a towering sky-lit…
Dubai, UAE – 24 July, 2012 – As part of its ongoing commitment to the Holy Month of Ramadan, Starwood Hotels & Resorts is launching its third annual ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative at more than 30 participating Starwood hotels in the Middle East. The ‘Iftar for Cabs’ initiative was launched in 2010 and has since become an annual tradition for many cab drivers throughout the region. During the hour of Iftar on…
Ramadan has started and over 1 billion Muslims around the world go into a month of extra piety and religious fervour. This is a month when people do not eat or drink anything from sunrise to sunset and get to feel how those who are less privileged than us are able to go through their daily grind without three meals a day. While those who travel are allowed to skip their fasts they have to make up by fasting…
يمكنكم الاقامة في هذا الفندق ذي النجمتين في العاصمة الإسبانية مدريد فقط مقابل 176 ريال سعودي لليلة الواحدة اسم الفندق Villar عنوان الفندق Calle Principe 18, Madrid, 28012 Spain ملاحظة: الأسعار قابلة للتغيير في أية لحظة من قبل الفندق
Virgin Galactic, the world’s first commercial spaceline, announced that its passenger-carrying suborbital space vehicle, SpaceShipTwo (SS2), successfully completed its first glide flight test. The spaceship’s engine, RocketMotorTwo (RM2), underwent another successful full duration test fire, marking the first time the company and its partners have undertaken test flight and test firing on the same day. Both…
Qatar Airways has launched a $1.2 million joint tourism promotional campaign with the Government of Western Australia to coincide with the launch of the airline’s new thrice-weekly flights to Perth. While the Gold Coast in Eastern Australia is a favourite tourist spot for Middle East vacationers, not many people are familiar with Perth and the attractions in Western Australia. The two-year agreement between…
Emirates Airlines marked its 25 years of service to the UK with a special Airbus A380 flight to Gatwick Airport. This was the first time that a 500+ seater A380 landed in London's second biggest airport. Emirates started its UK operation on 6th July 1987 with a daily service from London Gatwick to Dubai. Today, the airline offers 16 daily flights from six UK airports – with three daily services from Gatwick…
