The specificity of the service industry activity predetermines the allocation of creative abilities as a key factor in the competitiveness of service professionals in the services market. A high degree of differentiation of services and constantly expanding boundaries of service activity lead to the fact that the availability of reproductive abilities, i.e. abilities to reproduce the experience of service activity accumulated by mankind, is no longer a guarantee of high professionalism. Development of creative abilities of students studying "Service" is a task that can not be realized within one or more academic disciplines, but rather relates to the whole system of organization of the educational process at the university. The basis of creative abilities is divergent and systemic thinking. The development of creative abilities of students in the process of university education contributes to the construction of training sessions using creative techniques for solving problems. The article describes the technology of this work, proposes an author's method of identifying problems. Forming students' skills of mastering the technique of creative solutions to life problems and problems is an important but insufficient condition for the active development of their creative abilities. The next, no less important task is the development of a complex of personal qualities that ensure the maximum use of the creative potential of students. The article considers some approaches to the identification of personal qualities that promote the development of creative abilities. Attention is drawn to the need for students to develop observation, intuition, and foresight. Requirements are formulated for the teaching staff of higher education institutions, which help to increase the students' interest in the development and use of creative potential.