By Rushana Aliakbarova
Published on
Across Europe and Asia, the hospitality industry is becoming increasingly regional, driven by digitalisation, shared training and travellers whose expectations cross borders.
That same trend was visible at this year’s HORECA EXPO UZBEKISTAN 2025, where professionals from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan met in Tashkent to exchange ideas on how cooperation and technology are changing the region’s service sector.
Kazakhstan: Digitalisation and the culture of service
The Association of Restaurants of Kazakhstan, established in 2016, today unites around 16,000 restaurants across the country. Its representatives say the goal has always been simple: to bring together people working in the same business – from chefs to managers – and create a space where experience can be shared.
“We started by organising international culinary contests in Almaty,” said Irina Lebedeva, Financial Director of the Restaurateurs’ Association. “Then we realised restaurateurs needed a platform of their own. Everyone has different strengths. Someone knows the kitchen, someone else understands staff management. When we meet on one platform, everyone becomes stronger.”
The association has been cooperating with Uzbek restaurateurs and chefs for several years, taking part in joint events and training programmes.
Kazakh participants at the forum say they are especially interested in expanding collaboration in digitalisation – an area where many restaurants in Kazakhstan have already begun to automate processes. They describe how artificial intelligence and automation are now used to handle reservations, accounting and customer feedback.
“A restaurant today isn’t just about food,” said Lebedeva. “People come for emotions – how the staff is dressed, how dishes are served, the light, the music. Serving good food alone is no longer enough. Guests buy impressions, and technology helps us maintain that quality.”
She added that automation also helps managers track finances and performance remotely. “It gives you time to focus on the atmosphere instead of paperwork,” she said.
Uzbekistan: Supporting hospitality from policy to practice
According to Shukhrat Isakulov, head of the Department for Tourism Development under Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Ecology, one of the country’s main priorities today is to help local hospitality entrepreneurs expand abroad.
“Let’s say an Uzbek entrepreneur wants to open a restaurant in another country,” Isakulov explained. “The government will support him – from covering part of the equipment costs to assisting with permits, logistics and even the transport of ingredients that are difficult to find abroad.”
The programme, valid until 2027, offers targeted subsidies for restaurateurs who promote Uzbek cuisine internationally. It also provides financial support for producing media content about national gastronomy. Officials say the aim is to make Uzbek hospitality visible on the global stage while creating new business opportunities for local companies.
At home, the Tourism Committee continues to invest in professional training and digital services for hotels, restaurants and transport operators. By improving both the skills and the systems behind tourism, the government hopes to raise service standards across the entire sector.
Shared vision for a regional industry
Both sides highlight that shared culture and close geography make cooperation easier. With similar languages and traditions, restaurateurs from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan say they understand each other’s approach to hospitality intuitively – warm, direct and personal.
“We don’t have membership fees or closed clubs,” said Lebedeva. “If someone wants to learn and develop, the doors are open. Collaboration is what makes the whole industry stronger.”
Delegates agreed that the next stage for Central Asia’s hospitality lies in professionalisation – building common standards for service and management while keeping each country’s individual flavour.
Participants agreed that building a stronger hospitality industry in Central Asia will depend on the exchange of technology, training and experience rather than competition.
For both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, that cooperation is already becoming part of daily business practice.