Franchising remains a powerful growth engine for hospitality across MENA. However, rising levels of investor sophistication have revealed the limits of one-size-fits-all models.
Jad Shamseddin, COO at Aleph Hospitality, analyzes the evolving frameworks now shaping the region’s next phase of hospitality brand growth.

Franchising remains a powerful growth engine for hospitality across MENA. However, rising levels of investor sophistication have revealed the limits of one-size-fits-all models.
Jad Shamseddin, COO at Aleph Hospitality, analyzes the evolving frameworks now shaping the region’s next phase of hospitality brand growth.

From fine dining to fast casual, Lebanese F&B concepts are extending their reach regionally and beyond to great acclaim. Here, we spotlight several success stories that are helping to ensure Lebanon retains its reputation as a culinary innovation hub at home and abroad.

From family legacies to bold startups, the Middle East’s hospitality landscape is being shaped by entrepreneurs with a razor-sharp vision for how they want to grow their business. Careful expansion, investing in team development and creating guest experiences that resonate rather than embracing every trend are among their strategies. Here, 14 regional business leaders share their journeys, from lessons learned to future plans.

From a family table in Beirut to international acclaim, Aline Kamakian, founder and CEO of Fig Holding, has built Mayrig into a global ambassador for Armenian cuisine. A chef whose work extends from disciplined expansion to humanitarian service, she reflects here on preservation, purpose and an upcoming surprise for Lebanon.

Esco-Bar, the celebrated Lebanese bar-restaurant concept by MEC Concepts, takes its global expansion to new heights with the opening of Esco-Bar Coctel y Cocina in Palm West Beach Dubai in 2022.

From mountain hospitality to urban dining and coastal seafood, the Al Khawajat Group’s concepts reflect Lebanon’s diverse landscape and rich culinary heritage.

Coffee remains one of the most frequently enjoyed items across hotel outlets. As a result, guests increasingly seek brands they recognize and associate with quality. The We Proudly Serve Starbucks® coffee program offers hotels a solution that combines brand familiarity, operational simplicity and premium quality.

Blending Swiss precision with authentic Turkish hospitality, Swissôtel in Türkiye offers travelers two distinctive destinations designed around experience, wellbeing and cultural immersion.