Emirates celebrate 15 years in Ireland with a spectacular celebration

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Travelbiz Reporter, Marian Benton, was delighted to be invited to Emirates 15th Anniversary Celebration in Ballymagarvey Village on Friday evening. It is hard to be believe that it is 15 years since that memorable evening in the Convention Centre at the launch of their service in Ireland. Friday’s celebration clearly demonstrated that Emirates still know how to throw a good party! Travel trade and media were hosted to an evening of outstanding hospitality. Following a champagne reception a delicious three course meal was served in the Banqueting Hall, still bedecked with Christmas lights.

Anita warmly welcomed everyone and their ‘better halves’ and thanked her team for all their hard work in pulling the evening together. Special and honoured guest for the evening (no, it was not Lionel Ritchie) was Emirates Vice President for North West Europe, Pierfrancesco Carino, who had flown in from Dubai just for the occasion. Pierfrancesco declined to sing but he did say that he was honoured to be here to thank the Irish travel trade and media for their support and to express gratitude for their contribution to the success of Emirates in Ireland and for the excellent service provided to our mutual passengers.

He thanked the Emirates team in Ireland, led by Country Manager, Anita Thomas, for their passion and professionalism leading to their great results. He announced that Emirates have just ordered 375 new aircraft for delivery by 2038 as an expression of their confidence in the future of travel.

Maura Fahy, on behalf of the ITAA and the guests present, thanked Emirates for a spectacular evening in such a wonderful venue. She thanked the Emirates team, not just for the evening, but for their support throughout the year by way of engagement with the travel trade and marketing support which made it such an easy product to sell.

Anita wound up the speeches by thanking her wonderful commercial team – ‘the best of the best’. Emirates are now up to 3 flights per day with an 86% load factor in 2025. €916m of bilateral trade agreements were signed between Ireland and the UAE in 2025. Last year Emirates invested €60m in their Dublin operation alone and try to buy local products with Voya, Baileys and Keoghs Crisps featuring on their flights. The formalities concluded with a toast by Pierfrancesco to ‘the best of the best’ – their Irish trade partners.

The entertainment then commenced and all took to the dance floor to end what was indeed a thoroughly enjoyable and superbly organised evening (some got to bed a little bit earlier than others!). Many thanks to Anita and her truly amazing team.