Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, hosted a VIP reception in Toronto last night to celebrate the contribution of key partners in enhancing air connections between Canada, the UAE and other markets around the world.

James Mueller, SVP sales of Etihad Airways, who was joined by more than 150 high-level guests, including government officials, ambassadors, travel agents and trade partners, Etihad Guest Gold Elite members, and representatives from the airline’s codeshare and equity alliance were present.

Canada is an important market for Etihad Airways, which has carried over 750,000 passengers on the airline’s Toronto route since the service commenced in October 2005, equal to more than 25 percent of the city’s 2.8 million residents. The popularity of the service has been bolstered by a strong and fast-growing bilateral trade relationship.

Transactions between the two countries totaled $1.6 billion last year, almost 95 percent of which was generated by Canadian exports to the UAE. The UAE is Canada’s largest merchandise export market in the MENA.

Etihad Airways itself has invested heavily in the Canadian economy, having bought 11 flight training simulators valued at more than $310 million from Montreal-based manufacturer CAE since 2007.

Almost 150 Canadians are also employed by Etihad Airways, half of whom are pilots and cabin crew. In Toronto, the airline has 12 employees, led by the country manager James Harrison.

Speaking at the reception at Four Seasons Hotel Toronto, Mueller said: “Canada is a very important market for us, and to Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates. There are approximately 150 Canadian companies in the UAE and more than 40,000 Canadian national residents in the UAE, so demand for travel between our nations is strong.”