Craftgate, Türkiye's leading payment orchestration platform, announced online payment data for the beginning of the 2025 summer season in the tourism sector.

The analysis, covering the period between May 15 and July 31, 2025, revealed transactions conducted through Craftgate's infrastructure through contracted payment providers by member businesses operating in various areas, including hotel reservations, car rentals, ticket sales, and tour/event services. During this period, the industry's total online payment volume 17,5 billion TLMore than 5 million payment transactions were made, reaching . Due to the impact of high-amount transactions, the average basket size 3.425 TL was measured as .

Leading brands in the tourism sector have achieved significant cost and turnover advantages thanks to Craftgate technologies during the busy payment traffic at the beginning of the summer season. Smart and Dynamic Payment Routing feature automatically selects the virtual POS that offers the lowest commission rate for each transaction, reducing businesses' cost per payment. Autopilot ve Payment Retry technologies ensured that payments were completed uninterruptedly and cost-effectively, even in the event of interruptions or system problems occurring in virtual POS devices. In this way, Between May and July 31 By preventing possible turnover losses of Craftgate member businesses operating in the tourism sector, 49,94 million TL profit they were able to obtain.

Highlights of Payment Behaviors: Single Payments Preferred, 3, 6 and 9 Months Installment Term Preferred

According to data from Craftgate member businesses in the tourism sector, 58,36% of online payments were made as a single payment, while 41,64% opted for installment payments. 3, 6, and 9-installment payments were particularly prevalent for car rentals and accommodations.

When payment methods were examined, it was seen that the vast majority of payments (81,36 percent) were made by credit cards, while debit cards accounted for 14,23 percent. While international card usage was 3,71 percent, buy now pay later ve digital wallet The share of alternative methods such as was 0,29 percent. The share of prepaid cards was determined as 0,70 percent.

Leading Brands in the Tourism Sector Are Getting Stronger with Craftgate

Many tourism businesses, including leading brands in the industry, are increasing their turnover, reducing their operational burden, and optimizing their payment costs thanks to Craftgate's advanced payment orchestration.

Accelerating the digital transformation of the tourism sector with its superior technology, increasing turnover and providing cost advantages, Craftgate supports the sustainable growth of the sector by offering access to multiple payment service providers, international and alternative payment methods from a single center.

Developed to centralize and flexibly structure restaurants’ contactless ordering processes, Ordering Hub transforms the power of Oracle MICROS Simphony Cloud infrastructure into a special solution for restaurants’ increasing mobile and contactless ordering needs. Offering digital ordering channels such as QR Menu, Kiosk and Waiter App for waiters with special designs for brands, OHUB enables these channels to be managed from a single center, providing a significant increase in operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Ohub offers restaurants the ability to activate multiple digital ordering channels simultaneously and control them centrally via Simphony.

Fast, Secure and Flexible Experience with QR Menu

QR Menu, which does not require physical installation thanks to its serverless structure, can be put into operation in just 10 minutes. While menu content is automatically pulled directly from the Simphony system, it offers customers an uninterrupted and easy ordering experience with modern features such as multi-language support and online payment. Businesses can instantly update their menus via QR Menu and quickly publish promotional and campaign content. In addition, the design elements of the menu can be customized to suit the brand identity, allowing brands to reflect their own style.

Maximum Efficiency in Self-Service Orders with Kiosk

The digital ordering experience that started with the QR Menu is completed by the Android-based Kiosk solution. Compatible with hardware of different sizes, the Kiosk automatically transfers products to its screen thanks to the Simphony POS integration, while providing fast and error-free processing by sending orders directly to the kitchen.

The kiosk provides faster service to customers, especially during peak hours and in self-service areas, and minimizes queue-related dissatisfaction.

Digitalized Service Experience with Waiter App

Compatible with Android and iOS, the Waiter App digitalizes waiters’ order and service processes, ensuring speed and accuracy. The application facilitates operations with functions such as table management, order notes and payment transactions, and works integrated with Simphony POS to provide an uninterrupted experience.

Thanks to the Waiter App, waiters can save time and serve more tables at the same time. Advanced features such as room-based ordering, open account management, fast payment and multi-language support enrich the user experience.

Ordering Hub Speeds Up Contactless Ordering Processes in Restaurants

Stating that they aim to make contactless ordering processes in restaurants faster, more flexible and more efficient with Ordering Hub (Ohub), Protel Sales Director Fatih Tenel“As Protel, we have been leading the digital transformation of the sector for over 35 years. Ordering Hub enables operations to be easier and faster by offering the opportunity to manage different digital ordering channels from a single center. In this way, we both simplify the business processes of businesses and meet the expectations of our guests in the best way possible. Technology is not just a tool for us, it is the key to creating a dynamic ecosystem that produces solutions to the needs of the sector. We will continue to develop innovative solutions with this vision in the future, and while adding value to businesses, we will take the guest experience further every day,” he said.

Source: HORECA TREND and Protel

With the General Communiqué numbered 507 of the Tax Procedure Law (VUK) and related regulations implemented by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance, an important transformation process has been initiated in the world of food and beverage and payment systems. Within the scope of this regulation, which aims to accelerate the digitalization of businesses and effectively reduce the informal economy, the integration of EFT-POS devices and payment recording devices (ÖKC) has become mandatory. It has been made mandatory by law for all taxpayers to switch to these devices called “new generation cash registers with POS features” or Android-based ÖKC software.

The Law Made It Mandatory, So Are Businesses Ready?

The starting date of this legal obligation introduced with the VUK 507 circular was determined as July 1, 2024, and the period granted to businesses for compliance ended on January 10, 2025. As of this date, restaurants are obliged to use a new generation cash register with EFT-POS features in accordance with legal regulations.

This regulation aims to prevent tax losses and evasions by ensuring that collections made through mobile POS devices used by businesses are reported to the Revenue Administration (GİB) in a transparent manner. Although the regulation provides conveniences such as the removal of the requirement to have a physical POS device and the ability to receive payments even through Android-based devices, many businesses have still not taken the necessary steps for legal compliance despite the deadline.

What Awaits SMEs That Missed the Next Generation Cash Register Transformation?

With the end of the legal period, businesses that have not completed the new generation cash register transformation and continue to use old type devices face significant risks. Emphasizing that this transformation is not only a technical necessity but also a strategic step for the future of businesses, NarPOS Co-Founder and CEO İlyas Akça“January 10, 2025 was a clear turning point for legal compliance in this area. As we see, hundreds of thousands of devices still need to complete this transformation. Businesses that do not comply with legal regulations risk facing serious penalties for irregularities. The Ministry of Treasury and Finance has tightened its controls in this regard,” he said.

Pointing out that the new generation cash register transformation is an important opportunity for businesses to keep up with the competitive conditions of the age, paleHe continued his words as follows: “Businesses that do not take steps towards digitalization fall behind in the competition by falling behind in operational efficiency, reducing error rates, managing their stocks correctly and, most importantly, providing fast and modern experiences to their customers. Continuing to work with old-fashioned methods carries both legal risks and poses a serious obstacle to the growth and profitability of businesses.”

Defining the new generation cash register transformation as an opportunity for businesses to consider digitalization as a whole pale“The new generation cash registers should not be seen as simple payment receiving devices. When designed correctly, they can be a starting point for digitalizing all processes of the business, from stock tracking to sales analysis, from e-document integration to reporting.” he said.

The Impact of POS Regulation Compliance on the Economy

The VUK 507 regulation and the proliferation of new generation cash registers will also have significant effects on the country's economy at the macro level. These regulations will directly contribute to the reduction of the informal economy by making financial transactions more transparent in many areas, especially in the food and beverage sector. The increase in recorded transactions will allow the tax base to expand and thus public revenues to increase.

Highlighting the impact of regulation on transparency and welfare pale“This transformation, in addition to increasing the state’s tax collection efficiency, reduces unfair competition in the sector and paves the way for transparent businesses that comply with the rules. Digitalized and fully legally compliant businesses not only provide efficiency within themselves, but also contribute to a more equitable and registered economic structure. This contribution is a development that will benefit the entire sector and the country’s economy in the long run.”

Digital Transformation and Adaptation Process Management with NarPOS

In the mandatory transformation process brought about by the Tax Procedure Law, it is of great importance for businesses to choose the right technology business partner. Offering end-to-end digital automation solutions for the food and beverage and service sectors, especially the food and beverage and accommodation sectors, NarPOS helps businesses get through this process smoothly with its new generation cash register and POS solutions compatible with VUK 507.

Thanks to NarPOS’s hybrid structure that combines cash register POS, handheld terminal and business management in a single device, businesses can manage all their operations efficiently and in accordance with legal regulations, from taking orders to instantly issuing official receipts, accepting payments and tracking stock. NarPOS solutions, which can work integrated with banks and financial institutions, enable businesses to increase their operational efficiency and competitiveness while ensuring legal compliance.

Source: HORECA TREND and NarPOS