Subject. The article discusses regional agrotourism as a system-forming mechanism of spatial transformation of rural areas, ensuring sustainable socio-economic regional growth in conditions of institutional instability and territorial fragmentation. Objectives. The purpose is to substantiate and formulate a scientific definition of "regional agrotourism" as a spatially determined form of socio-economic activity integrated into the strategy of sustainable rural development, taking into account territorial specifics, institutional environment, and agroecological potential. Methods. The study employs dialectical and systems approaches, including methods of induction, deduction, comparative analysis, retrospective and critical analysis of scientific sources. The empirical basis is composed of official statistical data, analytical reports from federal and regional agencies, strategic documents and scientific publications reflecting international and domestic experience in the spatial organization of agrotourism practices. Results. The study disclosed a pronounced territorial differentiation of conditions and forms of agrotourism operations, which is determined by spatial, institutional and economic factors of individual regions’ development, including the level of transport accessibility, institutional support, and availability of resources. We offered our own definition of the "regional agrotourism" category as a structurally organized system of spatial, economic, and socio-institutional interactions aimed at sustainable rural development. The definition reflects the interrelation of agricultural, tourism and management components, enabling to consider agrotourism as an autonomous mechanism for rural development with a high degree of adaptation to regional conditions, rather than as an auxiliary segment. Conclusions. The findings may help develop adaptive mechanisms for territorial management, strategic planning, and State support for agrotourism, considering regional specifics.
Pyankova et al. (Tue,) studied this question.