SPONSORSHIP: Etihad Airways has won a major award for its work with the GAA
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has won the European Sponsorship of the Year award in the business-to-consumer category for its sponsorship of the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship.
The awards, hosted by the European Sponsorship Association and held at the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel in Brussels, saw Vodafone, Shell, Royal Bank of Scotland and Puma competing with Etihad for the title.
Returning from Brussels with the award, Beatrice Cosgrove, Etihad Airways country manager in Ireland, said: "Since we started in Ireland, in July 2007, our Dublin to Abu Dhabi service has established itself as one of Etihad's most popular routes, showing how strong an affinity we have in Ireland."
Etihad started its sponsorship of hurling in March 2008, and the Abu Dhabi-based airline received praise from the award judges for the way it immediately engaged with its audience in Ireland through promotions across radio, television and print media.
The promotions included an innovative competition, entitled Home for Hurling, which allowed entrants to nominate friends and family around the world to win flights to watch some of the key championship matches, including the hurling final between Kilkenny and Waterford.
GAA president Nicky Brennan said: "Perhaps the greatest compliment that we can pay is that we appreciate their respect for the GAA's and hurling's culture and heritage."