Аннотация:The article discusses the processes of tourism informatization. Three main areas are highlighted: the development of global reservation and reservation networks, the emergence of e-marketing and management and the development of virtual tours. Particular attention is paid to the new direction of the digital transformation of the tourism industry - the introduction of virtual reality technology. Virtual reality gets the most application in the segment of advertising of tourist products, and is also used for sightseeing, educational, entertainment purposes and for the development of social tourism. The future of virtual tourism depends on improving the technical possibilities of creating virtual tours, filling them with relevant content, etc. The article points out the importance of digital tourism transformation for the development of the digital economy. The adverse consequences of introducing virtual reality in tourism are indicated. The article notes that taking into account the possible effects of virtual tours on a real person, the formation of a culture of communications in virtual tourism will help transform the tourism industry into a human-oriented digital economy.