Weather and natural events around the world were impacting tourism this week as Iceland's fourth volcano eruption since December unfolded just outside Reykjavik and Thai beauty spot Chiang Mai ranks highest in a list of the world's most polluted cities.
Qatar Airways's new chief executive announced a U-turn on the airline's decision not to introduce a new first class cabin and luxury hotels are getting onboard with sleep tourism.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Qatar Airways to add new first-class cabins
Premium travellers flying on Qatar Airways will soon be able to travel in brand-new comfort, as the Gulf airline is introducing an upgraded first-class cabin.
In his first interview as the new chief executive of the country's flag carrier, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer told CNBC that plans were already well underway for the new class of travel.
“Based on the demand from certain sectors, we see a high demand for first class, and as such, have decided to introduce a newly-designed first class cabin unique to Qatar Airways. No one can develop a first class cabin better than us – we are combining the experience of flying commercial and executive jets to develop something new. We are 70 to 80 per cent ready and are only finalising colours," said Al-Meer.
Qatar Airways will also reveal a new design for its business class Qsuite at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK in July, the chief executive said.
Al-Meer replaced the airline's long-time chief executive Akbar Al Baker last year. Al Baker had previously said that the airline would no longer feature first-class berths in its next generation aircraft.
Flying to 170 destinations around the world, Qatar Airways is due to launch inaugural flights to Tashkent and Hamburg in June and July respectively. It will also resume seasonal flights to Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Marrakesh, Mykonos, Sarajevo and Trabzon this summer.
Iceland flights uninterrupted by fourth volcano eruption
Flights to and from Iceland are operating normally despite a volcano eruption that began on March 16.
The fissure eruption started on the Reykjanes Peninsula by Hagafell and Stora-Skogfell just after 8pm on Saturday evening. It was measured to be 2.9km long, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office.
The incident is the fourth time there has been a volcanic eruption in the area since December.
The UK Foreign Office updated its travel advice for tourists on Saturday in light of the incident, advising holidaymakers to stay away from the town of Grindavik and warning that the chance of further eruptions is high. It also acknowledged that Keflavik International Airport, Reykjavik and the rest of Iceland are not currently impacted by the eruptions.
According to Visit Iceland, the country’s tourism organisation, Iceland remains a safe destination to visit.
Impact has been localised and controlled via road closures, said Visit Iceland, revealing that authorities had previously issued warnings ahead of the eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, just south of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik.
The government of Iceland website advises travellers to contact their hotel or travel agency for any updates relevant to upcoming travel plans, but states that “Iceland is generally well-prepared to deal with seismic and volcanic activity, which is a regular feature of life in our country.”
Thailand’s tourist beauty spot tops list of world’s most polluted cities
The streets of Chiang Mai were enveloped in thick smog on Friday and Saturday as the Thai tourism spot ranked as the world’s most polluted city.
Known for its picturesque mountains and scenic views, the northern city had the highest reading on IQAir’s table of the world’s most polluted cities, ranking above Uzbekistan’s Tashkent and Beijing and Hangzhou in China.
Levels of hazardous small particles in the air in Chiang Mai were recorded at 221 micrograms per cubic metre on Friday, the highest among a list of most polluted international cities, according to data from IQAir, which provides global air pollution information.
Thailand's prime minister visited the tourist hotspot on Saturday when it continued to have the world’s worst air quality for the second day in a row. He promised to tackle air pollution.
The tourism hotspot which is the historical capital of the old Lanna Kingdom struggles with seasonal agricultural pollution as farmers burn crops to clear land. Forest fires and exhaust fumes have compounded the issue.
In 2019, before the global pandemic, more than 5.6 million people visited the northern city annually before the global pandemic according to data from Visit Chiang Mai.
The big snooze: Hilton introduces sleep retreats
A recent trends report from Hilton found that the number one reason for people to travel this year is for rest and relaxation. With the quest for quality sleep a key motivator for travellers worldwide, the global hotel brand is introducing new sleep retreats at hotels around the world.
The hospitality brand has partnered with sleep science expert Dr Rebecca Robbins to optimise the ways it can promote a great night's sleep across its global portfolio. The new one-of-a-kind sleep-focused retreats will launch at the Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort on Maui where Dr Robbins will offer guests in-depth insights into the science and practice of achieving restful sleep. Hilton aims to roll out more sleep retreats in other markets after the launch of the programme in Hawaii.
“Hilton seeks to provide more than just a place to stay. We aim to be a catalyst for wellness, starting with a great night’s sleep. Recognising that more than half of all travellers surveyed in our recent Trends Report emphasised the need for rest when they travel, our commitment has never been more important,” said Amanda Al-Masri, global vice president, wellness, Hilton.
First making waves last year, sleep tourism has accelerated in 2024 and is part of a growing wellness tourism industry, one of the fastest-growing segments of travel that's projected to reach $1.4 trillion by 2027 according to the Global Wellness Institute.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
LAST 16 DRAW
Borussia Dortmund v PSG
Real Madrid v Manchester City
Atalanta v Valencia
Atletico Madrid v Liverpool
Chelsea v Bayern Munich
Lyon v Juventus
Tottenham v Leipzig
Napoli v Barcelona
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs
UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv
Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Lamsa
Founder: Badr Ward
Launched: 2014
Employees: 60
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: EdTech
Funding to date: $15 million
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight (Wednesday), BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
8 traditional Jamaican dishes to try at Kingston 21
- Trench Town Rock: Jamaican-style curry goat served in a pastry basket with a carrot and potato garnish
- Rock Steady Jerk Chicken: chicken marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked on the grill
- Mento Oxtail: flavoured oxtail stewed for five hours with herbs
- Ackee and salt fish: the national dish of Jamaica makes for a hearty breakfast
- Jamaican porridge: another breakfast favourite, can be made with peanut, cornmeal, banana and plantain
- Jamaican beef patty: a pastry with ground beef filling
- Hellshire Pon di Beach: Fresh fish with pickles
- Out of Many: traditional sweet potato pudding
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
