عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Varieties

McDonald's in Russia Reopens under New Ownership, Renamed 'Vkusno & Tochka'

Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
TT
TT

McDonald's in Russia Reopens under New Ownership, Renamed 'Vkusno & Tochka'

Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina
Employees take part in preparations before the opening of a new restaurant, following McDonald's Corp company's decision to sell its restaurants in Russia to one of its local licensees that will rebrand them under a new name, in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2022. REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

The first 15 restaurants of former McDonald's Corp will reopen in Moscow on Sunday under new ownership and a new name, "Vkusno & tochka", which means "Tasty & that's it", the company said.

Another 50 restaurants will be open on Monday, Vkusno & tochka said.

Sunday marks a new dawn for Russia's fast-food lovers as restaurants formerly run by the hugely popular Western fast-food chain reopen under new branding and with renamed burgers, more than three decades after McDonald's first opened in Moscow.

Most Viewed

 
 
Varieties

Greenland Seeks to Capitalize on 'Last-Chance Tourism'

A woman looks out from a tour boat as it sails away from a glacier between Maniitsoq and Sisimiut in Greeceland. James BROOKS / AFP
A woman looks out from a tour boat as it sails away from a glacier between Maniitsoq and Sisimiut in Greeceland. James BROOKS / AFP
TT
TT

Greenland Seeks to Capitalize on 'Last-Chance Tourism'

A woman looks out from a tour boat as it sails away from a glacier between Maniitsoq and Sisimiut in Greeceland. James BROOKS / AFP
A woman looks out from a tour boat as it sails away from a glacier between Maniitsoq and Sisimiut in Greeceland. James BROOKS / AFP

A frozen landscape with breathtaking views, Greenland wants to attract more tourists, but its remote location and fragile environment -- which make it a unique destination -- also pose challenges.
"The effects of global heating are at their most pronounced in the Arctic," Michael Hall, a University of Canterbury professor and tourism expert, told AFP.
Global warming is accelerating "the loss of Arctic sea ice in summer, (as well as) the melting of permafrost, ice shelves and glaciers", he said, referring to elements that contribute to the island's uniqueness.
Across Greenland, locals are witnessing first-hand the effects of global warming.
On the southwestern coast, in Maniitsoq, the sea ice has not been solid enough to walk on since 2018. Residents have also seen it shrink from year to year, in addition to less abundant snowfalls.
Tourists are nonetheless awestruck by the vistas.
"It's terra incognita," said Amy Yankovic, a 55-year-old American tourist.
The Texan native traveled for almost 24 hours to get to Greenland, taking three connecting flights.
Tourism accounts for around eight percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations, most of which is attributed to transportation.
There is "a kind of 'last-chance tourism', where visiting these endangered sites is about wanting to see them before they disappear", said Emmanuel Salim, a geography lecturer at the University of Toulouse in France.
He said similar destinations such as Churchill in Canada -- known as the "polar bear capital of the world" -- "have tried to position themselves as places for 'learning' about the environment".
But while such destinations can raise awareness about better environmental practices, their carbon footprints continue to rise, he lamented.
Developing tourism in a fragile environment is a tricky balancing act.
"Mitigation of the impacts of global heating on the Arctic is a global responsibility," said Hall, adding that "current mitigation attempts are greatly inadequate."
Greenlandic authorities insist they want a prudent development of the tourism sector, in order to create jobs.
"In recent years we've seen that young people have started to become tour operators," Maniitsoq mayor Gideon Lyberth told AFP.
"We're very, very happy, because young people have been leaving here for Nuuk, to live there, but now they're coming back," he said.
"Clearly such developments will usually be seen as a good idea, at least in the short term," Hall said.