Educational opportunities of virtual tourism

The article is devoted to the study of the educational potential of virtual tourism. Virtual tourism is increasingly used in the practice of both tourism and educational organizations. It is specially important for people with disabilities. The study is aimed at researching the concept of virtuality, the potential for the virtual services development in the field of tourism using the example of the Republic of Karelia and identify their educational opportunities, which can be used both for the development of the tourism sector and in the practical training of students of a tourism university in the future field of activity. The prospects for the virtual tourism development, its relevance, goals are indicated. A review of projects in the field of virtual services in the tourism sector of the Republic of Karelia has been completed. The educational possibilities of virtual tourism projects are determined, their relevance is substantiated within the framework of the «theory of generations». Generations Alpha and Zeta combine the concepts of «digitalization» and «interactive interaction», combined with immersion in the virtual world, which can be used for educational purposes through the formation of network communities that connect participants with common interests. Similar interests in relation to virtual tours lead to the formation of virtual subcultures that unite people from different countries of the world and make it possible to implement services for virtual check-in at a hotel and chatting with guests «living» in it, on virtual excursions, both popular and difficult. available tourist facilities. The results are presented as a generalization of the educational opportunities for the implementation of virtual tour services and will be useful both in the organization of industrial practice in a tourist university and in their application by employees of tourist, hotel and museum organizations.