Hayley Skirka

Travel journalist, editor and industry specialist

United Arab Emirates

Experienced journalist and editor specialising in travel, tourism and aviation and with a proven track record of creating compelling and informative content across multiple platforms.

With a deep understanding of the travel industry, honed through years of in-depth research and extensive media experience, I excel at developing original story ideas, crafting engaging narratives, and conducting insightful interviews with industry leaders and travelers.

Experience writing for Lonely Planet, The National, UltraTravel, Time Out, World Traveller, Stylist, Dubai Tourism and more.

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Portfolio

Travel

The National
11/03/2020
Battling fires in Brazil's wetlands: Scorched paws and firefighting scientists

It's been weeks since flames first licked through the now-charred region of the Pantanal that Fernando Tortato and a team of volunteers are slowly scouring through. A jaguar programme conservation scientist with Panthera - the global wild cat conservation organisation - Tortato has joined government agency workers and local volunteers to comb through the blackened remnants of the world's largest tropical wetlands, after they were ravaged by the worst fires on record.

The National
05/11/2020
'We are totally on our own': how coronavirus is impacting indigenous tribes around the world

"At stake is our way of life, our culture, traditions and, ultimately, our forests," cautions Randy Borman from the Cofan tribe, one of the oldest surviving indigenous cultures in the Amazon. "So far there are no active cases of coronavirus in the community, and we have established heavy fines for anyone breaking quarantine," adds Borman, who is vice president of the Zabalo village in Ecuador's rainforest.

The National
03/04/2022
'Tomorrow is too late': plea for more hotel rooms to aid Ukrainian refugees

"It's unthinkable," says Sofia Widmann, shaking her head in disbelief. "This is Ukraine we're talking about, it's Kyiv." For the last week, she hasn't slept much. Born and brought up in the Ukrainian capital, Widmann has been living in Austria for eight years with her husband Michael and their young daughter.

The National
03/14/2018
Brazil's best-kept secret: a night in the Amazon rainforest

Brazil's Amazon rainforest is one of the last undiscovered frontiers on earth. Hayley Skirka spends a night under its canopy T he croak of a tree frog echoes in the air. I hear it, but only barely, so lost is it in the amplified hum of the rainforest's cicadas.

Lonely Planet
08/17/2018
How to live like a Local in Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Lonely Planet Hayley Skirka has been resident in the United Arab Emirates for nearly 10 years, most of them spent in Dubai. After all this time in the city, she's seen most of the iconic landmarks and lost count of how many desert safaris she's been on, so she tends to spend her days discovering more of what makes Dubai a truly liveable city.

World Traveller
12/01/2016
The rebel quarter

Tucked along the shores of the Left Bank, Saint-Germain des- Prés embodies so much of what makes Paris special. Its cobblestoned streets and ancient façades survive to this day, revealing a history littered with luminaries

Aviation

Books

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet's Pocket Dubai - Book

Designed for first-time thrill-seekers and experienced enthusiasts alike, each book showcases 200 unmissable activities along with awe-inspiring photos, engaging first-hand accounts, and practical advice on how to get there, where to stay and what to eat along the way.

Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet Dubai & Abu Dhabi - Book

Lonely Planet's Dubai & Abu Dhabi is our most comprehensive guide that extensively covers all the country has to offer, with recommendations for both popular and lesser-known experiences.

Lifestyle

UltraTravel
09/28/2017
A taste of the wild

Go off the eaten path where hands-on dining goes to new lengths in taking travellers of foodie experiences in exotic places that they are very much a part of, writes Hayley Skirka

The National
11/12/2021
World's first Warner Bros hotel opens in Abu Dhabi

The WB Abu Dhabi, the only hotel by Warner Bros, has opened its doors in the UAE. On Thursday, the hotel on Yas Island hosted an opening extravaganza complete with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, a Batmobile and more.

Air magazine
10/01/2016
A long time Cumming

Famed as one of the most fun people in showbusiness, Alan Cumming chats exclusively to AIR about sharing the love, political philosophies and the real-life adventures documented in his new book

Atlantis, The Magazine
01/04/2016
Instant Andy

Before there were selfies, Instagram and iPhones, one of America’s most iconic artists was already detailing his life on camera

Air Magazine
06/01/2016
Putting on the Ritz

Ahead of it's reopening, Hayley Skirka takes a look at one of Paris' grandest dames, the 118-year-old Ritz Paris and all the pomp, circumstance and scandal from its notoriously glamourous past

Air Magazine
06/01/2016
Keeper of Secrets

The house of Harry Winston has many secrets to share...

Atlantis, The Magazine
05/01/2016
Benvenuto

Hayley Skirka catches up with Giorgio Locatelli to talk Italian hospitality, the secret of great pizza and how the time is now for Dubai’s culinary scene

Business

Visitdubai
Dubai technology - Dubai's never-ending quest for your attention

In today's digital era and a world where new technology and information saturation are at an all-time high, the pressure to retain an enduring presence is intense. In the Middle East and Africa, transformation is on an upward trajectory as audiences grow and broadcasters clamour for a share of a market value looking set to bypass US$15 billion by 2021, data from IDATE Digiworld shows.