Training of Karelia local residents for the program organization and implementation of tourist service in rural areas

The issues of personnel shortage in various sectors of the economy are present in almost all regions of the Russian Federation. This is especially true for rural areas, where the concentration of young and able-bodied population is often lower than in the city. There is no educational infrastructure, places for internships and, subsequently, jobs. After receiving basic education, young people leave for the city to receive professional education and employment. Thus, only a few return to rural areas. There is also no positive dynamics of changing the place of residence from urban to rural areas among urban residents. However, the tourism sector allows to level out this situation, since its development is actively taking place in rural areas, thereby forming such a direction as rural tourism. The Republic of Karelia, with a sufficient number of rural areas and a developed tourism sector, has the potential to create groups of trained specialists working and living in rural areas. However, those who have undergone professional training will be more effective in organizing and implementing programs for servicing tourists in rural areas. Professional training and advanced training in the field of rural tourism can be carried out in the following areas: training in the basics of tourism, development of hospitality skills, master classes related to crafts and traditions of a given area, organization of excursion programs, training in the basics of marketing and financial planning for managing a small business. This professional training can be carried out through online courses on platforms dedicated to these topics, through the study of specially selected literature on rural tourism, but it is more effective to do this through networking with local universities, receiving the appropriate certificates confirming new competencies in this area.