Impact of institutional environment transformation on the development of regional tourism infrastructure

The article substantiates that the development of regional tourism infrastructure in the context of institutional transformation is determined not only by the resource potential of territories and the volume of capital investments, but primarily by the quality of the “rules of the game”, coordination mechanisms, and the managerial capacity of organizations involved in shaping the tourism product. The theoretical foundation of the study is the approach of new institutional economics, according to which institutions shape incentives and constraints for economic activity, influence transaction costs, investment feasibility, and the ability of stakeholders to engage in collective action. The interdependence between “hard” infrastructure (transport accessibility, navigation, public spaces, basic services, and cultural heritage sites) and “soft” infrastructure (destination management, digital services, data, standards, and partnership rules) is demonstrated: in the absence of institutional coherence, investments in facilities and networks do not translate into sustainable regional tourism competitiveness. The analysis focuses on the shift toward multilevel governance, the strengthening of the role of destinations and regions in tourism policy, as well as public-private partnership instruments and program-based financing as “institutional bridges” between territorial needs and the resources of the state and investors. A conceptual model of the impact of institutions on the development of regional tourism infrastructure is proposed, reflecting the causal links among institutional changes, infrastructural outcomes, and tourism performance indicators; additionally, differences between “hard” and “soft” infrastructure are systematized using key criteria. The practical value of the article lies in identifying directions for institutional strengthening of regions: the formation of capable DMO/DM partnerships, the development of data infrastructure and digitalization, the creation of a portfolio of investment-ready projects, and the application of public-private partnerships for tourism and cultural facilities based on the principles of transparency, competition, and fair risk allocation. Keywords: institutional environment; tourism infrastructure; destination management; multilevel governance; decentralization; public-private partnership; regional development.