QUEST-EXCURSION WITH A VIRTUAL GUIDE AS AN INNOVATIVE EVENT PRODUCT FOR THE TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Abstract

The paper explores modern successful practices of designing, advertising and conducting quest tours with a virtual guide; improving approaches to their methodological support and practical implementation. The definition of such concepts as «quest», «quest-excursion», «quest-excursion with a virtual guide» has been clarified. Current trends in consumer preferences in tourism and hospitality are analyzed. The prospects for the industry to respond to changes in the external environment are explored, as well as specific examples of digital excursion products on the market are studied. The main directions of increasing the competitiveness of the tourist and excursion business associated with meeting consumer demands for uniqueness, personalization, gamification and digitalization of the consumer experience are highlighted. It has been established that virtual guided quest excursions are a promising and sought-after area of excursion activity. The social and socio-cultural importance of the digital excursion products encourages the state and public associations to participate in the financing of the startups, which promotes this area in its initial stages of development. The characteristics of quest-excursions that distinguish them from other types of excursion products are analyzed. In particular, interactivity, eventfulness, the presence of game and competitive components, the impersonal involvement of the guide at the stage of conducting a quest-excursion with a virtual guide. All this determines certain differences in the methodological support of the quest-excursions with a virtual guide from the methodological support of the excursions of traditional format. In this regard, special attention is paid to improving the methodological approach to designing and conducting quest-excursion with a virtual guide. Emphasis is placed on such problems as: the allocation of the structural elements of the quest-excursion; types of tasks of the quest-excursion; approximate estimated parameters of the quest-excursion; interdisciplinary interaction of IT-technologies and excursion activities; technology of designing the quest-excursions with a virtual guide; role of the guide in designing and conducting the quest-excursions with a virtual guide.