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ANALYSIS OF THE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IN THE HORECA SECTOR The period of the COVID-19 pandemic has been a chapter in which old patterns were broken and the ability to manage crises and react quickly to change was needed more than ever. The HORECA sector has always faced two key challenges: staff recruitment and training as well as high costs. On top of these, competition is becoming increasingly fierce in the sector due to the latest changes. In this respect, the importance of the problem proposed for research in this article lies in the continuous change of the HORECA sector, which is constantly adapting to the needs of consumers.