Emirates has opened its Centre of Hospitality Excellence to businesses and organisations across the UAE, offering tailored training programmes designed to strengthen hospitality standards, improve customer experiences and develop professional skills.

Located within the Emirates Crew Training Centre in Dubai, the $8 million facility provides a premium learning environment inspired by the airline’s internationally recognised hospitality philosophy.

The purpose-built centre features a restaurant and lounge accommodating up to 170 guests, presentation kitchens and eight technology-enabled classrooms.

The programmes are modelled on the service standards underpinning Emirates’ award-winning inflight customer experience, giving organisations the opportunity to learn from the airline’s expertise in delivering personalised hospitality at scale.

The centre offers training inspired by Michelin-star hospitality principles, covering fine dining, guest engagement, service etiquette and customer experience leadership. Since opening its external programmes, it has welcomed government entities, leading universities and major regional businesses.

Divisional Senior Vice President Service Delivery at Emirates, Thomas Ney, said: “Delivering exceptional hospitality requires more than technical training, it demands a deep understanding of people, culture and service excellence. At Emirates, we have spent decades refining our approach to hospitality through continuous learning and innovation, delivered to millions of global customers. By opening the Centre of Hospitality Excellence to organisations across the UAE, we are proud to share this expertise and help inspire the next generation of hospitality professionals.”

Tailored training programmes

UAE businesses can book bespoke workshops and immersive training experiences lasting between one and five days, with modules customised to their individual objectives.

Available programmes include Hospitality Excellence, which introduces Emirates’ House of Hospitality through training gap analysis, case studies and practical exercises.

The 7-Star Dining Experience focuses on fine dining protocols, table settings, presentation and guest interaction, while L’Art du Vin offers wine education covering tasting techniques, wine theory and food pairing, delivered by WSET Level 3-certified trainers.

Other offerings include hands-on gastronomy workshops led by experienced chefs, bespoke team-building activities and leadership sessions featuring Emirates executives discussing the airline’s global operations and service strategy.

Organisations can also arrange behind-the-scenes tours of Emirates’ training facilities, including aircraft simulators and culinary training hubs. Bespoke programmes can combine culinary demonstrations, leadership discussions, service challenges, learner assessments and immersive dining experiences.

Building on Emirates’ hospitality expertise

The centre forms part of Emirates’ wider investment in hospitality and service innovation. In 2020, the airline partnered with Switzerland’s Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne to develop its hospitality strategy, built around four pillars: excellence, attentiveness, innovation and passion.

The facility also plays an important role in training Emirates’ more than 25,000 cabin crew members, representing over 140 nationalities and speaking more than 70 languages.

All cabin crew complete an intensive eight-week training programme at the Emirates Crew Training Centre, covering safety, security, medical procedures, hospitality and service delivery. Training includes classroom sessions and practical exercises using full-motion aircraft simulators.

Within the Centre of Hospitality Excellence, crew also participate in immersive dining experiences, enjoying four-course meals prepared by Emirates’ master chefs while observing professional service from the guest perspective. A dedicated Culinary Hub provides practical training in food presentation and plating, while specialist wine sessions form part of the airline’s L’Art du Vin programme, launched in 2024.

Through opening the centre to external organisations, Emirates aims to extend its hospitality expertise beyond aviation and support the development of service excellence across industries.

The airline said the initiative reflects its belief that exceptional hospitality is not simply a skillset, but a mindset, with the wider ambition of strengthening the UAE’s reputation as a global leader in hospitality. -TradeArabia News Service