The article discusses the actual problems of practical training in the tourism and hospitality industries in Russia and identifies the main problems of training specialists at Russian specialized universities. The main focus is on building partnerships between universities and employer organizations in order to train highly qualified specialists. Purpose: The research is aimed at creating an effective model of practical training based on the interaction of the university with employer organizations within the framework of the training of specialists in the tourism and hospitality industries. Design/Methodology/Approach: The work is based on scientific publications devoted to evaluating the effectiveness of the existing system of personnel training for the tourism and hospitality industries, studying its features, building models of vocational education, and using practice-oriented programs in the training of specialists. To study the problems of practical training of personnel for tourism and hospitality, systematic and structural approaches were used as a methodological basis, as well as methods of analysis and synthesis, the study of models of cooperation between universities and employers, and methods of monitoring and evaluating the quality of training specialists. To obtain empirical data, an analysis of the needs of the labor market for specialists in the hospitality industry was carried out, as was the study of models of cooperation between universities and employers. Results: In the course of the work, the author has formed a model of practical training for specialists in the tourism and hospitality industries, including the purpose and objectives, process requirements, organization conditions, and requirements for the results of the process. The innovative nature of the proposals lies in the development of new models of practical training based on gamification technology. The direction of further research may include the development of a methodology for the organization of the university’s interaction with employer organizations in the framework of practical training. Conclusion: The results of the study can be used by professional educational organizations to organize the process of practical training of students, which will effectively solve the problem of training personnel for tourism and hospitality. The social consequences of organizing the process of practical training for students will include increasing the competitiveness of graduates in the labor market, improving the quality of tourist and hotel services, introducing innovations into the tourism and hospitality industries, and developing startups.