INNOVATIVE FORMATS OF TOURIST AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AMID THE TRANSFORMATION OF TOURISM DEMAND

The article explores transformational processes in the field of tourism driven by the rapid development of digital technologies, globalization changes, and post-pandemic trends. The author highlights the reorientation of tourism practices under the influence of digitalization, which alters both the nature of tourism services and consumer behavior. Central part in the analysis is the implementation of technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, the Internet of Things (IoT), as well as the use of digital platforms, mobile applications, and gamified solutions that shape new tourism experiences. Special attention is paid to the phenomenon of digital tourism and the emergence of new travel formats such as virtual tours, gaming and esports tourism, workation, and influencer tourism. The article examines examples of tourism infrastructure transformation, particularly the emergence of hotels with integrated VR zones, interactive spaces, and services offering the personalized approaches. Particular attention is paid to the implementation of augmented and virtual reality technologies, interactive mobile platforms, 3D tours, and digital mapping services. Based on the analysis of projects implemented with the participation of Google Ukraine, FreeGen GO, and the other initiators, it is shown how these technologies contribute to improving access to natural and cultural sites, promoting domestic tourism, popularizing regional identity, and preserving intangible cultural heritage. The importance of digital interaction between tourists and destinations is emphasized – especially through social media, online reviews, geolocation services, and virtual concierge platforms. The research is based on a qualitative case study analysis of five esports infrastructure sites in Japan: e-ZONe (Osaka), Grand Nikko Tokyo Daiba (Tokyo), ANA Crowne Plaza Hiroshima (Hiroshima), Kinosaki Onsen (Hyōgo Prefecture), and Hotel Hillarys (Osaka). The data was collected using content analysis of open sources, along with ethnographic descriptions of spaces (based on digital media, virtual tours, and user reviews). The author stresses that digital innovations not only contribute to the economic growth of the tourism industry but also open up new opportunities for sustainable development, inclusiveness, and accessibility in tourism. The digital evolution of tourism is interpreted as a response to global contemporary challenges, necessitating the adaptation of business strategies, the enhancement of staff digital literacy, and the formation of a new culture of tourism service consumption. As a result, digital tourism emerges as an interdisciplinary phenomenon that combines innovation, economics, cultural studies, sociology, and marketing, offering a new vector for the development of the tourism industry in the 21st century.