Browsing: Travel

Air Arabia’s strategic growth initiative for its Southeast Asian routes includes adding a fourth daily non-stop flight between Sharjah and Bangkok, bringing the total number of weekly flights to 28. This expansion aims to meet rising regional travel demand and enhance connectivity between the Arabian Gulf and major Southeast Asian hubs for tourism and trade. The airline will operate the route using its Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft, offering amenities such as SkyTime free in-flight streaming entertainment and SkyCafe catering service. With this increased capacity, Air Arabia solidifies its position as a key player in the regional aviation industry.

The number of foreign travelers arriving in South Korea in July 2026 reached 2,093,223, marking a notable rebound in global tourism. This monthly figure shows a 20.8% rise compared to the 1,733,199 visitors recorded in July 2025. It also exceeds the pre-pandemic July 2019 level by 44.6%. The Korea Tourism Organization provided the latest monthly tourism data on August 25.

Air Arabia is set to commence direct flights connecting Sharjah and Gdansk starting from Dec. 14, 2026, establishing a fresh link between the UAE and the northern region of Poland. The airline will operate a total of five weekly flights between Sharjah International Airport and Gdansk Lech Walesa Airport, with flights scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. This new route will provide travelers from Poland’s Pomeranian region with a direct air connection to Sharjah.

New seasonal flights will connect Abu Dhabi directly with Gothenburg from December. The Gothenburg route marks the first direct air link between western Sweden and the United Arab Emirates. According to Etihad, it also signifies Gothenburg’s inaugural nonstop connection with the Middle East and Asia. Passengers will be able to connect through Abu Dhabi to destinations across South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. The list of onward destinations includes Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Singapore, Hanoi, Bali, Shanghai, Taipei, Bengaluru, and Colombo. Additionally, the route offers UAE travelers direct access to western Sweden. Flights will be operated using an Airbus A321LR, capable of carrying up to 160 passengers. The aircraft’s cabin features two First Suites, 14 Business seats, and 144 Economy seats. The First and Business class seats convert into fully flat beds and provide direct aisle access. Economy class passengers can enjoy 13.3-inch 4K touchscreen entertainment systems. The aircraft is equipped with high-speed Wi-Fi available throughout, allowing for seamless connectivity. The long-range narrow-body aircraft enables the airline to provide three cabin classes on this Gothenburg route. Enhanced international connectivity for Gothenburg through direct service This schedule allows travelers to arrive in Abu Dhabi with access to Etihad’s extensive network. Eligible passengers can also take advantage of the Abu Dhabi Stopover program, which offers hotel stays of up to two nights in the UAE capital. The new route

South Korea reported a $596.6 million tourism surplus in June 2026, marking its strongest monthly outcome since the COVID-19 outbreak. The surplus improved by approximately $1.44 billion compared to June 2025, when the country experienced an $846.8 million deficit. Data from the Korea Tourism Organization identified June as the second-highest month for tourism surplus on record, with only October 2008 surpassing it at $661.5 million.

Spain has enacted temporary border inspections for travelers arriving from Italy by both air and sea. The new measures began at midnight on Aug. 8 and are set to remain in place until Sept. 7. Authorities are now verifying travel and immigration documents at routes that normally operate without routine internal border controls. Travelers from Italy face temporary passport checks at Spanish airports and seaports. On the first day of enforcement, Spain’s Interior Ministry reported that 199 passengers traveling on 12 flights from Italy underwent controls. Checks included verification of passports, nationality, and visa status where necessary.

Exterior view of the historic Church of San Francesco di Paola in Piazza del Plebiscito, Naples, Italy. This expansion broadens flydubai’s overall footprint in Italy, which already includes three weekly flights to Catania Airport in Sicily and twice-weekly seasonal summer flights to Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport in Sardinia, running until the end of August. The airline also outlined operational adjustments due to scheduled infrastructure work in Southern Italy. Specifically, between November 1 and November 30, 2026, flydubai will temporarily reroute its daily service from Dubai International Airport to Salerno Costa d’Amalfi and Cilento Airport while Naples undergoes maintenance. Regular flights to Naples are expected to resume on December 1, 2026, with existing bookings automatically transferred to the Salerno route during this period. Strengthening Bilateral Trade and Tourism through New Flight Routes The expanded routes to Milan-Bergamo and Naples continue to operate under the established codeshare agreement between flydubai and Emirates, the international flag carrier. This partnership enables passengers to access integrated travel options, including unified ticketing, synchronized flight schedules, and through-checked baggage across both airlines. By leveraging the combined network at Dubai’s hub, travelers connecting from Italian airports benefit from streamlined access to long-haul destinations across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, including direct flights to Kenya, Oman, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Zanz

Confirmation from Emirates News Agency states that this partnership with Crypto.com offers travelers an alternative payment method for flights, marking the implementation of a strategic memorandum of understanding signed in July 2025 between the two entities. This digital payment system is accessible to residents of the United Arab Emirates for international and domestic flights priced and paid in Emirati Dirhams. Cryptocurrency transactions are handled through Crypto.com’s checkout platform, giving travelers direct access to their digital wallets during ticket purchase.

Confirmed through official statements issued via Emirates News Agency, this event signifies a major milestone in the UAE’s growth as a global hub for contemporary art and cross-cultural dialogue. Conceived by the late architect Frank Gehry, the building covers 80,000 square metres in the Saadiyat Cultural District, making it the largest physical venue within the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation’s international network.

The Republic of Korea saw nearly 2 million international visitors in June, propelling the total number of foreign travelers entering the nation during the initial six months of the year beyond a significant milestone. The Emirates News Agency published official government data confirming that Korea’s foreign tourist arrivals surpassed 10 million in H1, driven by consistent double-digit growth in key regional source markets. According to statistics from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, June alone welcomed 1.99 million foreign tourists, marking a 23.1 percent rise compared to the same month last year. This strong monthly increase pushed the cumulative total for the first half of the year to 10.71 million visitors, representing a 21.3 percent growth from the 8.8 million recorded during the same period in 2025, and surpassing pre-pandemic 2019 baseline levels by 26.9 percent.