The Irish Business and General Aviation Association (IBGAA) is moving its annual business aviation and luxe tourism conference to the K-Club luxury hotel and golf club in Kildare for its third edition. Live bookings opened this month for the 14 November event.

"We have enjoyed a terrific two years at Adare Manor, but we thought it was important to showcase to our industry other amazing venues that Ireland has to offer," says Josh Stewart, IBGAA founding executive chairman. This year the gathering will be broadened too with a pre-conference gathering at Weston airport on the afternoon of 13 November, featuring a static display of business aircraft, helicopters and cars. Weston airport, a 15 minute drive from the venue, will also host a welcome reception that evening.

For the third consecutive year Gulfstream Aerospace has confirmed headline sponsorship. "There's already considerable interest in sponsorship, and several major aviation brands will also be involved," notes founding executive Joe Buckley. The programme is currently being determined.

Confirmation of the event comes hard on the heels of a positive outcome for business aviation at Dublin airport, where commercial airline passenger movements have been capped, having reached 32 million per annum. The EBAA and NBAA joined IBGAA in highlighting the importance of retaining GA access in a letter to the Irish Prime Minister, Government Ministers and key stakeholders, averting a threatened ban on all non-scheduled aviation, including business jets.

The Irish Aviation Authority determined a final decision on 7 May to 'avoid capping GA at Dublin airport for the 2024/2025 season'. IBGAA, NBAA and EBAA praised the IAA for its pragmatic, logical and common-sense approach towards GA. The decision, moreover, reaffirmed its commitment to review the decision in subsequent seasons, demonstrating its adaptability and responsiveness to the industry's needs.

Dublin airport handled less than 18,000 GA passengers in 2023. However, the sector contributed significantly to the Irish economy, and specifically Dublin's economy, supporting over 2,000 jobs and nearly one billion euros ($1.09 billion).

Defending their position, the lobbying associations stressed that US-based multinational companies active in the Dublin region require access to their corporate jets when transporting executives to and from meetings in Dublin. Ireland's economy is hugely dependent on investment from US FDI, which contributes billions in taxes every year.