Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Peoples'Friendship University of Russia
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
An AR guide to endangered languages of the peoples of Russia, themed tours of Moscow's "small" museums, and barrier-free travel—these are just a few of the projects and topics discussed and presented by participants at the III International Student Congress "Tourism of the Future—the Future of Tourism," which took place at RUDN University in late September.
This large-scale two-day event became the main communication platform for dialogue between students, leading experts, and tourism industry leaders. The congress brought together over 50,000 participants from 100 universities in Russia, the CIS, and China. It was organized with the support of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs, the Russian Geographical Society, and other industry bodies, with the tourism platform "Let's Go!" serving as the general partner.
The congress's main goal was to transform young people's perceptions of the tourism industry and showcase the diversity of professional and career opportunities—from entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence to education and the development of an inclusive environment. Participants sought answers to fundamental questions: is tourism a calling, a profession, an education, or something more?
AI, deepfakes, ethics
The comprehensive two-day program included plenary sessions, international teleconferences, foresight sessions, and educational tracks. Participants discussed promising tourism destinations in Russia, the impact of information technology on the transformation of the industry, training the next generation of professionals, and developing an inclusive travel environment.
According to Elizaveta Kolotova, Associate Professor of the Department of Tourism and Service at the RUDN University Graduate School of Management, the most heated discussion erupted during the foresight session on the application of artificial intelligence technologies in tourism.
"The range of opinions was colossal: from enthusiasts who proposed entrusting AI entirely with creating customized travel scenarios to skeptics who feared the complete devaluation of the tour operator and guide profession. The culmination was the question of deepfakes for recreating historical figures in museums. The ethical aspect of this issue—where is the line between education and deception?—sparked the most heated debate. Ultimately, we reached a consensus that AI is a powerful tool, but the final decision and the emotional component should rest with humans," says Elizaveta Kolotova.
Tourism without barriers
Elizaveta Vladimirovna herself spoke on the educational track "Inclusive Tourism: Travel and Vacations Without Barriers." "This wasn't just a lecture, but a very lively and insightful discussion, where key points emerged from a dialogue between theorists, practitioners, and travelers with disabilities themselves. We thoroughly explored how creating an inclusive environment isn't a costly social project, but a smart investment and a competitive advantage. User-friendly navigation, wide doorways, and adapted websites improve the experience for all guests. We concluded that inclusion is a new quality standard for the entire tourism market. 'Invisible' barriers are more important than physical ones," said Elizaveta Kolotova.
As the RUDN University associate professor noted, the discussion participants agreed that the future lies in a proactive approach. Tourism industry representatives shouldn't wait for a guest with a disability to arrive and only then frantically come up with solutions. They should proactively create infrastructure and services aimed at the widest possible audience. The key conclusion: inclusive tourism is not a narrow niche, but a philosophy for running a modern and truly successful tourism business.
Career trajectories
Students were particularly interested in the HR sessions at the congress, featuring leading employers such as Coral Travel, Hyatt, Radisson, Swissotel, and Kavkaz.RF. Students were able to receive feedback and learn about career paths firsthand.
"I was captivated by the companies' willingness to not just accept resumes but immediately provide feedback on ideas. I shared my thoughts on creating themed tours of Moscow's "small" museums, which are typically overlooked on standard tours. A manager from one company not only praised the idea but immediately proposed a specific mechanism for engaging with such museums and even identified potential partners. It was a moment when the line between theory and real business blurs," says Kristina Galaktionova, a fourth-year Bachelor's student at the Graduate School of Management at RUDN University (Hotel Management major).
Kristina and her team won second place in the International Student Project Competition "Tourism of the Future – The Future of Tourism," the results of which were announced at the congress.
"Our project is called 'An AR Guide to the Endangered Languages of the Peoples of Russia.' The idea is that tourists visiting, for example, Karelia or Altai, can use a phone app to point the camera at an object (a tree, a lake, a mountain) and see its name and a short story about it in the local dialect or language, with native voiceover. We wanted to show that technology can be a tool for preserving cultural heritage, not just for entertainment. The jury highly praised the project's social significance and innovation, and now representatives of an ethnographic park would like to speak with us about a pilot project," says Kristina Galaktionova.
According to the girl, in addition to the victory, she remembers the congress for the fact that it changed her understanding of the importance of developing inclusivity in the industry.
"I hadn't previously considered that making tourism services accessible to people with disabilities or the elderly isn't just a social responsibility, but a huge, untapped market niche. One of the speakers cited the example that by creating a barrier-free environment, we automatically make tourism more convenient for everyone: for parents with strollers, for people with disabilities. Overall, the "Inclusive Environment" track gave me useful knowledge. For example, how to properly describe a route for a blind person and what digital solutions exist for hearing-impaired tourists. This knowledge is concrete, measurable, and immediately applicable. I realized that the future belongs to hybrid specialists who understand both technology and human needs," says Kristina Galaktionova.
Foreign experience
Participants were also interested in the experiences of tourism industry representatives from other countries, which they shared during discussions and educational tracks.
"The most unexpected and impressive were the Chinese cases. We're used to talking about mass outbound tourism from China, but their domestic tourism is a phenomenon of a different scale. Our colleagues from China spoke about projects to "revitalize" abandoned villages, inviting artists and urbanists, transforming them into art residencies and eco-resorts for young people. Their approach is total digitalization: from ticket purchases to fully cashless payments within the destination using super apps. But the main insight was the speed of implementation. Where we usually discuss a project for a year, they launch it in three months. This experience makes us think about the need for greater flexibility and speed in decision-making here too," says Elizaveta Kolotova.
An environment for generating breakthrough ideas
The results of two action-packed days were summed up at the closing ceremony by Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and the event organizers.
"The congress clearly demonstrated the powerful intellectual and creative potential of our youth. We see students' genuine interest and willingness not just to enter the profession, but to actively shape the future of the tourism industry by proposing bold, technologically advanced, and socially significant solutions. I am confident that the dialogue initiated at this forum will become a solid foundation for the further development of educational programs and successful partnerships between universities, businesses, and the government," said Olga Petrova.
"The caliber of the projects presented at the competition and the depth of the discussions during the congress exceeded all expectations. We especially value the fact that the event served as a true social lift for talented students. Here, they not only received recognition from industry leaders but also found like-minded people, and many even found their future employers. The congress proved that the future of tourism is in good hands, and our task as a university is to continue to maintain this momentum," said Anna Ostrovskaya, Chair of the Student Project Competition Organizing Committee and Director of the Graduate School of Management at RUDN University.
"The main outcome of the congress is the creation of a vibrant, dynamic community. We witnessed the birth of a unique ecosystem where students, leading experts, government officials, and business leaders speak a common language. This direct, unfiltered dialogue is the most effective environment for generating breakthrough ideas and shaping a new generation of tourism industry leaders," said Christopher Konstantinidi, Chairman of the Congress Program Committee and Director of the International Analytical Center for Sustainable Tourism Development at RUDN University.
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