Within the framework of the tourism Week, Stavropol State Agrarian University hosted a meeting with an expert from Vladivostok and a practical online lesson on the analysis of the tourist potential of the cultural heritage site, the Karpov Farmstead. University scientists also presented strategies for the development of wine tourism at the All-Russian conference.

The V Interuniversity Scientific and Practical Conference «The hospitality industry as a factor in the development of national tourism: strategies and forecasts» was held in St. Petersburg. Leading scientists and practitioners from all over the country gathered for a dialogue to determine the vectors of the industry's development. 

SSAU scientists took an active part in the key event of the program, the round table «The relationship between the development of the hospitality industry and national tourism: from trends to project implementation.»

Presentations on the prospects of wine tourism in our region were made by:

• Irina Pavlenko, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, presented the analysis and results of scientific work on the development of wine tourism in the Stavropol Territory, its economic potential and unique opportunities for the region.

• Andrey Kotlyar, a graduate student at SSAU, presented the project «Managing the development of a wine tourism destination», demonstrating how theoretical knowledge is applied to solve specific practical problems.

— Participation in such large—scale events is not only an opportunity to present our achievements, but also an important step in integrating agricultural science into the country's tourism industry development strategy. Wine tourism is an interdisciplinary field where the competencies of our university are key, — Irina Pavlenko emphasized.

First-year students studying in the field of «Hotel business» became participants of a teleconference with Vladivostok. The speaker was Elena Shumakova, a specialist who combines teaching activities, being an associate professor of the Department of Tourism and Hospitality at the Far Eastern Federal University, who has experience in managing real business in the field of tourism and is the manager of the Golden Key apart—hotel, CEO of Point of the Future LLC.

The event was organized and conducted by Associate professors of the Department of International Business and Tourism Irina Pavlenko and Valentina Varivoda.

In the format of a live dialogue, the students learned how the training of first-class specialists in the field of hospitality takes place.:

• analysis of real cases: an introductory video with errors in the technology of servicing guests of the apart-hotel was shown, which became the basis for a joint analysis — students learned to see and prevent typical mistakes.

• career paths: The expert answered questions about the value of practical experience, emphasizing the importance of starting from initial positions to build a successful career. Elena Viktorovna has proven from her own experience that the path from the initial positions is the best start for a future leader.

• An inside look: Students received the professional opinion of a hotel classification expert on standards and trends in the industry. The students learned how the hotel classification system works and what the experts pay attention to.

• The art of communication: using examples, the lecturer showed how to build socially responsible interaction with guests and respond promptly to their needs. The key topic was building a dialogue with the client, where attention to his needs and social responsibility come first.

• problems and prospects of development: we considered the real challenges and problems of the hotel business at the present time, discussed trends in the development of the hospitality industry in the future and measures to support it. 

The event allowed students to take a fresh look at their chosen profession and understand what competencies are needed to succeed in the dynamic hospitality industry.

A practical online lesson was held for first and fourth year students of the field of study «Tourism» at Stavropol State Agrarian University. The event, which took place in the format of the VKS, was devoted to the analysis of the tourist potential of the cultural heritage site — the Karpov Farmstead.

The lesson became a vivid example of successful interaction between theory and practice. The students not only listened to the lecture, but also took part in a virtual tour of the ancient merchant's estate, organized by the development manager Maria Kravchenko.

Thanks to modern technologies, future specialists of the tourism industry were able to examine in detail the architectural features of the monument of wooden architecture of the XIX century, assess the scale of restoration work and learn about the history of the Karpov family, which played a significant role in the development of the city.

The students were particularly interested in the interactive part, during which the staff of the farmstead shared the current problems and tasks facing the facility: from attracting a tourist flow to developing unique souvenirs.

The practical part of the lesson was based on the principle of project work. The first-year students, under the guidance of senior colleagues, played the role of «researchers»: they analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of the attraction, its target audiences and existing analogues. 

As a result of the joint work, creative ideas for the development of the facility were generated. Among the proposed concepts:

• Development of the quest «Secrets of the merchant's farmstead» for a family audience.

• Creation of interactive workshops on ancient crafts.

• Organization of theatrical excursions with the participation of the «owners» of the estate.

• The inclusion of the facility in the new tourist routes of the region.

— Such a format of classes is incredibly effective, — said Irina Pavlenko, Associate Professor of the Department of International Business and Tourism. — It allows not only to provide students with relevant knowledge, but also develops their key professional competencies: analytical thinking, project work and presentation skills. For first—year students, this is an inspiring immersion in the profession, and for graduates, it is an opportunity to apply their knowledge to solve a real business problem.

The staff of the Karpov Farmstead appreciated the fresh perspective of the students and promised to consider the possibility of implementing some of the proposed ideas.

The lesson confirmed that the distance format is not an obstacle to high-quality practice-oriented learning, but, on the contrary, opens up new opportunities for university cooperation with tourist sites located anywhere in the country.