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10 best free and budget-friendly things to do in Dubai this weekend

Dubai: Looking for a way to enjoy the city without spending a dirham? From beach clubs to revamped underwater worlds, Dubai is packed with limited-time freebies right now. Here is where to head for a great experience at zero cost.1. Kaimana BeachLocated at the trendy J1 Beach, this Polynesian-inspired destination offers a slice of tropical paradise. Through their Sunbed Society deal, you can enjoy a complimentary sunbed on weekdays with no minimum spend required. It is the perfect spot for those...

Park Hyatt Dubai Creek to close for final renovation phase

Dubai: Park Hyatt Dubai Creek will temporarily close from May as it enters the final phase of a planned renovation, with the operator moving to upgrade the property ahead of its next reopening.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.The Dubai Creek property, part of the wider Park Hyatt portfolio, has been undergoing phased enhancements, with this stage marking the final step before it returns with an updated offering. A reopening timeline has not yet been confirmed.Get upd...

Londonmaxxing: How to go large in the greatest city on Earth

Reckon you’ve exhausted the inexhaustible pleasures of the capital? Don’t be silly — from hot new theatre and music (for free!) to drinking the city dry until dawn, let the Standard team guide you

Anantara World Islands resort shut, Minor Hotels confirms

Dubai: Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort has ceased operations, bringing a pause to one of the more distinctive hospitality concepts within Dubai’s World Islands development.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.Minor Hotels confirmed in a statement that the resort stopped operating on April 10, following a joint decision with owner Seven Tides Ltd. The property had been positioned as a private island retreat, offering a high-end alternative to mainland resorts and attr...

Char Dham Yatra 2026: New protocol you must follow before traveling

Char Dham Yatra New protocol you must follow before traveling

The Radio 2 Book Club Award 2026 shortlist in full as Sara Cox names the eight finalists

The Radio 2 Book Club Award 2026 shortlist in full as Sara Cox names the eight finalistsSara Cox has named the eight finalists for the new Radio 2 Book Club Award 2026. Discover which books made the shortlist before the winner is crowned at The British Book Awards this MayNewsAimée Walsh Columnist and U35 Deputy Editor11:07, 16 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesSara Cox revealed the inaugural Radio 2 Book Club Award shortlist(Image: WireImage)Broadcaster Sara Cox has officially revealed the shortlist for the...

Las Vegas ‘pricing problem' is scaring off tourists from 'greatest city in the world,' says Rick Harrison

Tourism in Las Vegas continues to decline — with about 38.5 million visitors last year, a 7.5% drop from 2024, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCA).Rick Harrison of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas and of "Pawn Stars" TV fame told Fox News Digital that his store experienced record-breaking months in both January and February of this year."You give customers what they want, and they return," he said in an interview. "A lot of hotels on the Strip — they'r...

Dubai's famous Jumeirah Burj al Arab hotel closes for major refurbishments as tourists avoid UAE due to Iran war

Dubai's famous Jumeirah Burj al Arab hotel closes for major refurbishments as tourists avoid UAE due to Iran warBy OLIVIA ALLHUSEN, FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER Published: 10:53, 16 April 2026 | Updated: 10:55, 16 April 2026 e-mail View comments

Indonesia’s Bali wants illegal rentals to be legitimate as operators flag red tape

Indonesia’s push to bring thousands of unlicensed tourist stays into the legal fold is running into a familiar administrative obstacle in Bali, with operators saying the government wants faster compliance than the bureaucracy could allow. In December, the Ministry of Tourism said unlicensed accommodation providers in Bali, Yogyakarta, West Nusa Tenggara and West Java had until March 31 to register their hotels, guest houses, villas and homestays, in a move meant to improve service quality,...

Spain and Portugal holiday bookings surge as Brits avoid Middle East destinations amid global jet fuel crisis triggered by Iran war

Summer flight bookings to Spain have soared 32 per cent year-on-year with hotel searches up 28 per cent. Portugal has recorded a 21 per cent rise in flight bookings with hotel searches up 16 per cent.

Tui issues 'two to three hours' alert in new passenger travel update

Tui issues 'two to three hours' alert in new passenger travel updateThe airline has explained the rule as passengers face long waiting timesCommentsTravelCharlotte Smith Senior Lifestyle Content Editor09:02, 16 Apr 2026View 2 ImagesThe new EES has caused travel delays for many across Europe(Image: Getty)Tui has issued a fresh passenger alert online, explaining a key 'two to three hours' rule the airline has for people flying with check-in luggage via the airline. Tui is one o...

BTS comeback drives record 2.06 million tourists to South Korea

South Korea welcomed a record 2.06 million foreign visitors in March, led by Chinese arrivals, government data showed on Thursday, with tourism spending lifted ‌by the comeback tour of K-pop supergroup BTS after a years-long hiatus. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the monthly record helped lift first-quarter arrivals by 23 per cent from a year ago to 4.76 million, also a record for a first quarter. It attributed the trend to the “worldwide popularity of [Korean] culture”,...

London travel news LIVE: Railway trespassers cause train delays between St Pancras and Kentish Town

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7 French tourists arrested after viral Songkran spray clash with van driver in Phuket

Thai police arrested seven French tourists after a viral Songkran confrontation in Phuket in which revellers surrounded a van, sprayed its driver with water and later ignored police orders to disperse. The incident came during Thailand’s annual new year festival, whose street water fights draw huge crowds across the country but have also sparked complaints this year about more aggressive behaviour in some tourist hotspots. Video shared on social media showed a crowd in Patong, a beach town on...

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Man 'had to flee' Gran Canaria after what ex-girlfriend did on first night of holiday

Man 'had to flee' Gran Canaria after what ex-girlfriend did on first night of holidayAlisha Lloyd pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after she bit and repeatedly punched her ex-boyfriend while on holiday in Gran CanariaNewsPaige Ingram and Adam Everett06:18, 16 Apr 2026View 3 ImagesAlisha Lloyd pleaded guilty to one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm(Image: Facebook)A man "had to flee" Gran Canaria after his ex-girlfriend attack...

दुनिया की 8 खूबसूरत जगहें जहां गाड़ियां नहीं चलती! नाव से चलते हैं लोग

Harry and Meghan join Aboriginal walking tour in Melbourne

Harry and Meghan join Aboriginal walking tour in MelbourneJust nowShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleSimon Atkinson,MelbourneandClaire KeenanPAThe Duke and Duchess of Sussex are shown a Marngrook, a possum skin ball used to play traditional Aboriginal games.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have taken a journey through First Nations Australians' history in Melbourne on day three of their visit to the country.Prince Harry and Meghan joined an Aboriginal walking tour on Thursday called the Scar...

Middle East aviation faces turbulent months ahead as war, fuel shocks test airlines

Dubai: The global aviation industry entered 2026 expecting a year of expansion after a turbulent few years following the 2020 Covid pandemic.Instead, airlines are now heading into a prolonged period of disruption. Experts are saying Middle East carriers are facing the sharpest pressures as geopolitical instability, fuel volatility and airspace constraints redraw the sector’s recovery map.Sign up for our daily business newsletter, Cheques & Balances.For passengers and airlines alike, the coming m...