Travel Updates by DailyStraits.com

Britain Unveils 2026 Highlights

VisitBritain has highlighted a range of new tourism experiences, major sporting events and cultural attractions across the UK for 2026.
New hotel openings include the Waldorf Astoria London Admiralty Arch, Six Senses London and Hotel Gotham Newcastle, while Scotland is welcoming several new luxury and boutique properties. Visitors can also look forward to major events including the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
Film and television tourism remains a major draw, with destinations featured in Outlander, House of the Dragon, Peaky Blinders and the upcoming Pride and Prejudice Netflix series attracting visitors. Liverpool is also expanding its cultural appeal with a new Music Heritage Trail and city-wide Summer of Music celebrations.
VisitBritain said food tourism continues to grow, with new Michelin-starred restaurants, vineyard experiences and culinary trails joining outdoor attractions such as Cumbria’s new long-distance walking routes.

Qatar Airways Expands Network

Qatar Airways will expand its global network to more than 160 destinations during the Northern Summer 2026 season, adding or restoring services to 26 destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe.
The airline is resuming flights to destinations including Adelaide, Auckland, Osaka, Tokyo Haneda, Lisbon, Prague, Brussels and Marrakesh, while also launching services to Port Sudan and restoring routes to cities such as Philadelphia, Boston, Bogotá and Caracas.
Qatar Airways is also increasing frequencies to several FIFA World Cup 2026 host cities in the United States, including Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and Boston, to support travel demand during the tournament.
The airline said travellers will continue to benefit from connections through Hamad International Airport and onboard Starlink internet, now available on more than 140 aircraft across its fleet.

Emirates Unveils Comprehensive Travel Cover

Dubai-based airline Emirates has launched what it describes as the world’s most comprehensive airline travel insurance product, becoming the first carrier to offer conflict-related medical cover alongside airline-managed disruption support.
Available from today, the new Comprehensive Travel Cover includes trip cancellation protection, baggage delay and loss compensation, unlimited medical expenses and emergency evacuation cover worldwide. New benefits include reimbursement of up to US$25,000 for conflict-related medical expenses and a complimentary trip extension of up to 30 days, regardless of government travel advisories.
The airline will also provide additional support during travel disruptions, including airline-managed hotel accommodation, extended-stay assistance and complimentary rebooking on other airlines when Emirates services are unavailable or cancelled due to conflict-related events.
Developed in partnership with Travel Guard, the insurance can be purchased during booking or added later through Emirates’ Manage Booking platform.
Emirates President Sir Tim Clark said the new product was created in response to customer demand for more comprehensive travel protection amid continued strong global travel demand.
The cover is available immediately to Emirates customers worldwide.

Devon Larratt Promotes Sabah Tourism

World-renowned Canadian arm wrestler Devon Larratt and his wife, Jodi Larratt, are exploring Sabah’s tourism attractions during their visit for the East vs West International Arm Wrestling Competition, which is being held in Malaysia for the first time.
The couple arrived in Kota Kinabalu on 17 June and will visit several key attractions including Kinabalu National Park, Mari-Mari Cultural Village, the Klias river cruise, island destinations and the Gaya Street Sunday Market.
The familiarisation programme, organised by the Sabah Tourism Board, aims to showcase the state’s nature, wildlife, cultural and culinary experiences to international athletes and visitors attending the event.
Larratt will also take part in meet-and-greet sessions ahead of the East vs West International Arm Wrestling Competition on 20 June and the Sabah International Arm Wrestling Competition on 21 June at Centre Point Sabah.
The tournaments are expected to attract more than 150 competitors from 13 countries, including Malaysia, Taiwan, Sweden, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Russia, China, Indonesia, India, Thailand, South Korea and Singapore.
“This is my third time in Borneo and my first time in this part of the island. I’m excited to see the level of talent here and to meet the athletes. I hope this event continues to grow and becomes a regular gathering point for the best competitors in the region,” he said.

Sabah Pushes for India Flights

Sabah is seeking to strengthen tourism ties with India, with discussions underway on establishing direct air connectivity between the two destinations.
The proposal was highlighted during a meeting between Acting Indian High Commissioner to Malaysia Hitesh Rajpal and Sabah Tourism Board chairman Datuk Joniston Bangkuai, where both sides discussed opportunities to boost tourism, trade and technology cooperation.
Hitesh described direct flights between India and Sabah as a potential “game changer” and praised Sabah Tourism Board’s engagement with the Indian market and airline partners.
“We are actively pursuing stronger links with India, including the possibility of direct flights. Sabah will continue to work closely with relevant partners to strengthen our presence in the Indian market,” Joniston said.
Indian visitors currently travel to Sabah via connecting hubs such as Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Brunei. Sabah recorded 11,282 visitor arrivals from India in 2025, with 3,802 arrivals recorded between January and April this year.

Citrawarna Returns This July

Malaysia’s flagship cultural festival, Citrawarna 2026, will return to Merdeka Square in Kuala Lumpur from 24 to 26 July as part of the Visit Malaysia 2026 campaign.
Held under the theme “The Rhythm. The Soul. The Nation.”, the three-day event will showcase Malaysia’s cultural diversity through four signature experiences: Colours of Parade, Colours of Flavour, Colours of Culture and Colours of Art.
Visitors can enjoy cultural performances, traditional cuisine, community activities, handicraft exhibitions and live artisan demonstrations. A key highlight will be the Colours of Parade on 25 July, featuring performers from across the country in a large-scale celebration of music, dance and storytelling.
Organised by Tourism Malaysia in collaboration with Yes Travel & Holidays Sdn Bhd and supported by Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur and other partners, the event is expected to boost tourism activity while promoting Malaysia’s multicultural heritage to local and international visitors.
Admission is free, with further programme details to be announced closer to the event.