Travel in Iran

“The Persians called this square, Naqsh-e Jahan Square, half the world, meaning to see it was to see half the world,” Samira Ahmed explains. The joy of seeing the grand square laid out in front of her speaks stories on her face, a broad grin gradually emerging. She is in Esfahan to tell the fascinating tales of this grand monument for BBC Four’s Art of Persia – an exquisite series looking at the history and culture of the alluring land of Iran, once known as Persia. I may be sat in my London flat right now in a looming lockdown, but I once saw half the world.

As the summer travel heats up, a surprising trend is emerging: Russia is experiencing a tourism uptick, according to the latest Skift Travel Health Index for June 2024. Despite the ongoing war, tourism performance in the country in June 2024 witnessed a 12 percentage point surge over May 2024. The index is at 103, which indicates a 3% rise above June 2023.

Holding meetings and events at posh hotels isn't a new concept; some of the toniest hotels in the world have served as backdrops to some of the most important gatherings in history. Whether it's for negotiating peace, creating bodies of diplomacy or hosting heads of state — or certain A-list pop music chanteuses — these are some of our favorite hotels in the world with an important claim to history-making meetings.

With the 2024 Republican presidential ticket of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance solidified last week in Milwaukee, Democrats have a lot of work to do before their convention in less than a month – now without an official candidate or a vice presidential nominee.

Jul 18, 2024 • 6 min read

Hilton teams up with M Hospitality to launch Hilton Marjan Island Beach Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah, set to open in Q4 2026, enhancing its Middle Eastern portfolio amid increasing visitor projections.

Delta Air Lines is joining forces with Saudi Arabia's newest airline in a pact that gives the young Gulf carrier a major U.S. partner even before launching its first flight.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Rick Jones. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Although it has been cultivating wine for 150 years, Uruguay has long been overshadowed by its vino-producing neighbors Argentina and Chile. Now, in a country best known among oenophiles for its signature Tannat red, a scene is growing near the beaches of Punta del Este and José Ignacio around highly regarded whites and rosés.

Indonesia is planning to introduce visa-free entry for tourists from 20 nations, including India. The country’s tourism minister, Sandiaga Uno, has announced that the policy is in the works and it will be finalized before October this year. The move aims to boost international tourism in Indonesia, Uno said. 

Georgia's summer season has begun but a significant share of visitors are missing: Israelis.

More than 1,000 people have died while making the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to an AFP tally on Thursday. Officials said the main cause of death is extreme heat in the region as temperatures surpass 120 degree Fahrenheit (125 degrees Celsius). Thousands more are being treated for heatstroke. 

Delta Air Lines will resume flights to Tel Aviv this week, becoming the latest airline to relaunch its route.

The first Club Med in the Gulf States.

Hopping between Gulf countries could soon be as easy as traveling through Europe's Schengen Area: just flash your passport at the entry point and seamlessly travel from one country to the next—no extra paper work required.

The sun-drenched sepia photograph shows a dapper European, handkerchief in pocket, cigarette in hand, sitting among a row of men dressed in bisht and keffiyeh. The moment was captured during Jacques Cartier's first visit to the Persian Gulf in 1911, on his way back to London from Delhi—part of a sales trip encouraged by his father, Alfred, then the head of Cartier. The decline of the Ottoman Empire and the 1905 Persian Constitutional Revolution had flooded Europe's artistic centers with new influences, forging an aesthetic then known as “the Muslim arts.” Eager to learn more, Jacques spent four months traveling throughout Asia and the Middle East, rifling through bazaars and emporiums and mixing with high society.

Throughout April, we're honoring the ancient Arab tradition of hakawatis, or storytellers, highlighting the writers, performers, and poets who are driving the conversation around what it means to be Arab American today—and celebrating the rich culture and histories of the diaspora.

Much to the astonishment of some of my friends and family, I traveled to Israel on a seven-night press trip, returning home on April 8, less than a week before Iran launched its attack on the country.

Welcome back to another episode of the TravelPulse Podcast!

India is becoming a convenient hub for travel between Southeast Asia and the Middle East, IndiGo Chairman V Sumantran said during his address at a college in Chennai. He also cited the example of several airlines carrying passengers from places such as Bangkok to Jeddah or Dubai by connecting through Indian cities.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kate Boardman , a 36-year-old former teacher and current content creator from Massachusetts who has lived and traveled all over the world. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Airlines flying over Iranian airspace promptly rerouted to different airports or returned to their original departure locations early Friday morning following Israel’s retaliatory attack on Iran.