Forming ecosystem environment in university of tourism as a strategy for its development

The article considers the problems of undergraduate training direction "Tour- ism", the definition of the main development vector of which is currently a polemic. According to governing bodies in the Russian education system, ap- plied baccalaureate is the, priority form of educational activity. It is connected with the fact that tourism, first of all, experiencing staff shortages for specific performers able to perform the functions "here" and "now" in accordance with the existing qualifications and competence and the needs of tourism enterpris- es; and, basically, we are talking about low qualification levels of line staff. According to community of the industry (Russian Union of Travel Industry, Rus- sian Union of Travel Industry, Russian Hotel Association) the experts of "aca- demic" orientation, who are prepared to meet the challenges of industry devel- opment and designing innovation, are less in demand. Thus, there is a contra- diction between the academic content and educational activities of universities, aimed at the education of students, development their independent and critical thinking, innovative approach, as well as the academic indicators of universities effectiveness, based on their research and innovation activities, and established stereotype of tourism education as the preparation of performers of concrete functionality. This contradiction is indicated in the article as a problem. For its solution the author gives the argument based on an analysis of relevant norma- tive-legal acts in the field of education, information and facts of vocational tourism education, theoretical sources. In particular, the article attempts to prove the existence of sufficient organizational and pedagogical foundations in universities of tourism for the development of ecosystem environment for- mation and promotion of innovation and the development of innovative think- ing in students. The author considers ecosystem environment as a self- organizing and self-developing specific university environment, continuously generating innovations for society in various fields.