Today in the world of
restaurants, cafés and hotels.
Selected HoReCa news from Azerbaijan and the world — a short summary and the source, updated daily.
2030 targets in tourism: A new calculation for HoReCa
Azerbaijan's tourism sector has set new priorities through 2030. The document reflects the sector's medium-term development directions and targets. This framework, announced at the official level, means a reassessment of the role of tourism in the country's economy.
Last minute sales in Antalya are picking up, but hotels remain empty despite the discount.
Although hotels in Turkey's Antalya region have seen an increase in last-minute sales as the season draws to a close, despite discounts of up to 50% on prices, the occupancy rate has not reached the expected level.
Opening of Khankendi Hotel: 45 new jobs
President Ilham Aliyev participated in the presentation ceremony of the newly opened "Xankendi" hotel in Khankendi city on July 11. The four-story hotel started operating with a staff of 45 people.
Subway franchisee MTF Enterprises filed for bankruptcy protection
One of the largest Subway franchise operators in the US, MTF Enterprises, has filed for bankruptcy protection due to high-interest "commercial cash advance" loans. Burdened by a debt load with an annual financial cost exceeding 40 percent, the company initially closed six of its restaurants, with more closures expected.
OPEC Fund gave its first local currency loan in Azerbaijan.
The OPEC Fund announced a new financial initiative (V2V) for climate-vulnerable countries and a $1.5 billion Digital Transformation Action Plan at the 2026 Development Forum held in Vienna in June.
ADY Baku-Tbilisi train route cooperation potential with tourism companies
Passenger train services between Baku and Tbilisi resumed this May after a six-year break. ADY (Azerbaijan Railways) relaunched the route, and it was met with great interest from passengers.
Saudi Arabia opened a portal for foreign real estate ownership
The Real Estate General Authority (REGA) of Saudi Arabia has launched the "Saudi Properties" portal. The portal provides a formal digital channel for foreigners to purchase property in the country under the Foreign Real Estate Ownership Law, which comes into force in January 2026. Applications are fully electronic.
Transition from street foods to branded QSR in India: Example of Momo Nation Cafe
India's quick service restaurant (QSR) sector has been undergoing a major transformation over the last decade. Consumers are increasingly preferring organized brands that offer consistency, hygiene, accessibility and convenience over local street vendors. One of the brightest examples of this shift is momo k
Chinese robots serve in Japanese hotels and restaurants.
What happened
### What happened? Tropical Smoothie Cafe franchise network opened its 1700th cafe and signed agreements for 900 new stores. The brand's total value reached $1.5 billion. The secret to their success is simple: encouraging smoothie customers to also order food at the same time. ### Why is it important? This shows that cross-selling in the food and beverage sector is a key driver for growing franchise models. In Azerbaijan, many cafe chains focus only on drinks or only on food, whereas combining these two areas can increase customer traffic and average check size. ### Lesson for Azerbaijan's HoReCa/franchise Local entrepreneurs should focus on menu diversification. For example, offering light snacks at juice and smoothie venues can both boost sales and cause customers to spend more time in the establishment. ### Risk If cross-selling is not managed properly, the brand identity may weaken. Customers come to the venue only for smoothies; if food offerings create confusion, the quality of the core product may take a back seat. ### DK's view Cross-selling accelerates growth in franchising, but in Azerbaijan it is more critical to maintain the simplicity of the concept.
Tropical Smoothie Cafe opened its 1700th branch and signed a contract for 900 new locations; the brand's value reached 1.5 billion dollars. The mechanism behind the growth is simple: directing customers who come for smoothies to also order food — i.e., cross-selling.
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