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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Real Madrid football club will spend $1bn to build a lavish resort island in the United Arab Emirates, complete with luxury hotels, marina and amusement park. Executives unveiled plans for the “Real Madrid Resort Island”, featuring an oceanside stadium and hi-tech club museum in the northern Emirate of Ras Al-Khaimah, on the doorstep of the lucrative football-mad Asian market. “Real Madrid Resort Island…
Not content with loading professional chefs onto its planes, Etihad has now gone one step further by sourcing daily produce from an organic farm in the UAE. The products are provided by Abu Dhabi Organics Farms, a prize-winning outfit which is managing to cultivate vegetables and fruits and raise cows, chickens and goats despite the blistering heat of the desert that surrounds it. Eggs and vegetables will…
Dubai, March 31, 2012– By spending an hour in the dark next week, SHERATON DUBAI CREEK HOTEL & TOWERS will join millions around the world to send a powerful message about a brighter future for the planet. SHERATON DUBAI CREEK HOTEL & TOWERS will turn off its lights in observance of Earth Hour, the global environmental awareness event created by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Last year, Earth Hour 2011 became…
According to the latest estimates issued by the UN World Tourism Organization, 2012 will see global tourist traffic exceed 1 billion people for the first time. Last year, there was a 4.4% growth in tourist arrivals worldwide. However, the growth was not evenly spread. South America experienced over 10% growth as a continent but the South East Asian nations of Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar experienced growth…
Burj al Arab and the Leaning Tower of Pisa are not turning green with envy - they are celebrating St. Patrick's Day on March 17 2012 - and Tourism Ireland is making sure everyone around the world notices. By creating a worldwide phenomenon, the Irish tourism organization is generating a lot of interest in Ireland. The Sydney Opera House, the Manneken Pis in Brussels - which recently had its water shut off…
The Ministry of Tourism of Indonesia and the national airline Garuda have launched a new program "Indonesia Air Pass" to encourage tourists to visit multiple destinations in Indonesia. Traditionally, tourists visit Jakarta and Bali and do not visit other cities spread across the Indonesian archipelago. The proposed Indonesia Air Pass will encourage visitors to hop on board Garuda and visit multiple…
The Turkish Tourism Board is promoting Turkey through taxis in London while the Malaysian Tourism Board launched a campaign on taxis in Berlin coninciding with the travel trade show ITB-Berlin which started on March 7. 200 taxis have been wrapped with Malaysian Tourism pictures. The eye-catching images, showing sunny beaches and Orangutans in a stunning jungle setting have given Malaysia an opportunity to…
The journey will cost you about $750,000 and the five days stay will add another $150,000 to the bill but for just under $1 million this may be the ultimate holiday for those with spare change. Richard Branson is already booking passengers on his Virgin Galactic space odyssey but his customers do not have a hotel in the sky - yet! If Russian entrepreneur Sergei Kostenko has his way, then by 2015 his Orbital…
Just days after a series of bomb blasts in Bangkok, Hyatt Hotels announced plans for a ‘twisted coil’ architectural landmark in the heart of the city’s busy business district. The Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel, slated to open in 2014, is designed to be a ‘standout’ on Bangkok’s already-soaring skyline, and features a corkscrew-inspired design which tapers at the top. Inside, the hotel will offer 222…
A menu of the last lunch served to first-class passengers onboard the Titanic is expected to sell for $157,960 at a UK auction. The menu, which records the last lunch served to first-class passengers before the Titanic hit an ice floe and sank, is dated April 14, 1912. It was on the table of Dr. Washington Dodge, a banker traveling first class from San Francisco, accompanied by his wife, Ruth, and…
The 2012 edition of the French Michelin guide has handed out a rare three-star ranking to a restaurant tucked into the French Alps, one of just 105 establishments deemed “worth the trip”, according to the secretive estimation of Michelin inspectors. Chef Emmanuel Renaut’s restaurant Flocons de Sel in Megève, France has become the country’s 26th restaurant to join the ranks of establishments like Alain…
A 124-day luxury cruise trip has been unveiled by Six Star Cruises which includes a flight in a private jet, caviar and Dom Perignon. The luxurious cruise departs in Los Angeles, US, and visits 28 countries including New Zealand, Malaysia and the Maldives. Guests will be picked up from their home by helicopter and transferred to a luxury Boeing business jet where they can feast on Beluga Caviar at $5800…
Dusit International confirms the opening of Dusit Thani Maldives on 6 February 2012. Surrounded by a vibrant 360-degree coral reef and turquoise lagoon, this island property features pearl white sandy beaches and a rich landscape of verdant vegetation. Dusit Thani Maldives is considered a landmark addition to this fast expanding brand. Located on Mudhdhoo Island in Baa Atoll, Dusit Thani Maldives is…
Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort, an upmarket Moroccan-style property in the heart of Fujairah, announces its participation in the world’s largest travel fair, ITB Berlin, which will run from March 7 to 11 in Berlin, Germany. The delegation will meet with existing partners to deepen their business relations and promote the brand to key potential markets. At the same time, they will learn about new and…
Sheraton Dubai Creek Hotel & Towers, a five star hospitality establishment managed by Starwood Hotels and Resorts, has received an award from Dubai Civil Defence for its excellent performance in a fire evacuation drill held in conjunction with Dubai Civil Defence. The hotel received a certificate of appreciation from the UAE Ministry of Interior General Directorate of Civil Defence Dubai, which was accepted on…
Explorer has announced the names of the Top 100 round one winners that will compete for the chance to become the Ultimate UAE Explorer 2012. Each of the 100 winners selected won a UAE based experience to review, the best 20 reporters will be rewarded with a place in the quarter finals of the search. They will also receive a FujiFilm F500EXR digital camera to record a video to tell the world why they should be the…
Dubai, United Arab Emirates– Fujairah City Centre, the Emirate’s first integrated retail, leisure and entertainment shopping mall, is set to open on Wednesday April 4th, 2012 announced Majid Al Futtaim Properties, a leading developer of shopping malls together with hotels and mixed-use community projects in the MENA region. Preparations for the April 4th opening are on-schedule with 100% of retail units under…
When the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai opens its doors at the end of this year, it will be the new tallest dedicated hotel building in the world. Standing at 1,099-feet tall (355 metres), the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is just 26 metres shorter than the Empire State Building in New York. The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which sits on floors 102-118 of the 1,588-foot International Commerce Centre remains the highest…
For the first time in at least two decades of reporting the worldwide cost of living survey Zurich sits atop the ranking as the world’s most expensive city. An index swing of 34 percentage points pushed the Swiss city up 4 places compared to last year to overtake Tokyo which remains in 2nd place. Geneva, the other Swiss city surveyed saw a 30 percentage point rise in the cost of living to move up six places…
February 2012 - Viceroy Hotel Group is pleased to announce the resort will officially open on 2 April 2012. The intimate 61-villa island resort, part of the company’s steadily expanding Viceroy Hotels and Resorts brand, is set on the archipelago’s pristine Vagaru Island. Each of the resort’s luxury beachfront or water villas are nestled on the white sand beachfront or set directly on the turquoise sea.…
UAE, February 2012 – The Taj Palace Hotel Dubai has earned the EarthCheck silver certificate for their commitment to social and environmental sustainability. To be awarded certification hotels have to demonstrate strict environmental sustainability with their performance monitored through regular ongoing benchmarking and audits conducted by an independent third party. “Going through the process of…
The Manneken-Pis, a bronze statue of a young boy urinating that is a symbol of Brussels and a major tourist attraction, has had to stop peeing because of sub-zero temperatures, Belgium's tourist office said on Wednesday. Officials turned off the flow of water through the statue, which has stood on a Brussels corner since the 1600s, out of concern the cold might damage its internal mechanism. Temperatures in…
The Anantara Spa at Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, renowned for its signature treatments, now offers an even more lavish well-being experience with the addition of organic range, Shiffa Dubai to its spa menu. Home grown in the UAE, Shiffa Dubai was created by UAE National Dr. Lamees Hamdan in 2004. Combining her background in dermatology with a passion for holistic healing, Shiffa Dubai fuses…
Dubai, UAE – A delegation from Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman and Ramada Downtown Dubai will attend the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) 2012, the world’s leading travel trade show, held in Berlin, Germany from 7 to 11 March 2012, to strengthen its position and brand awareness in key markets such as the UK and Germany. Iftikhar Hamdani, General Manager, Ramada Hotel & Suites Ajman, said: “ITB Berlin is one of…
