Educational tourism in Russia: current state and prospects for development

This article raises the problem of poor development of educational tourism. The concept of educational tourism is addressed, its key components and approaches of different researchers to its definition are discussed. The research methodology includes the analysis of recent scientific publications on educational tourism. Its role for students from such study field as ‘Tourism’ is pointed out. The author characterizes the current state of educational tourism and offers new ways of its development. The following means of its promotion are put forward: development of new tours and routes, closer collaboration with international universities for academic exchange, organization of contests for participation in educational tours, inclusion of separate tours in educational program of such study field as ‘Tourism’ and optional or obligatory independent development of new educational tours which will be further tried by students as a part of their educational training stipulated by the educational program. The importance of financial issue of such educational tours requiring certain investments is pointed out. The research results may contribute to further study of the concept of educa-tional tourism in theory and may be applied to practice in the course of development of this study field which is relevant to students and teachers of the Russian State University of Tourism and Service, too.