Abstract:

This study aims to explore the evolution of governance frameworks in emerging destinations. The literature signals a continuum along which the frameworks move from state-led, formal governance to public-private-partnerships, where more flexible, market-driven systems are in play. In this study, an emerging tourism country, Azerbaijan, is analyzed in terms of its tourism development and institutionalization process. For this purpose, policy documents and six expert interviews were analyzed, followed by a validation process. The results revealed that the country is on the verge of rapid transitions regarding destination governance. Tourism has been prioritized on the political agenda for the past decade, and in the period from the declaration of 2011 as “Year of Tourism” to the COVID-19 pandemic, growth was registered in both supply and demand. Concordantly, institutional transformation has been initiated by launching the national Destination Management Organization (DMO) and three other regional DMOs, with new DMOs underway.

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