Institutional Governance Systems and Development Mechanisms of Tourism Destinations: A Comparative Analysis of Türkiye, Egypt and Thailand

Institutional governance is a critical factor influencing the competitiveness, sustainability and development of tourism destinations. Effective destination governance requires coordination among government institutions, tourism businesses, local communities, investors and other stakeholders. This study comparatively examines the institutional governance systems and development mechanisms of tourism destinations in Türkiye, Egypt and Thailand. The research applies institutional, comparative and content analysis methods using academic literature, national tourism institutions and international policy reports. The analysis focuses on institutional architecture, strategic coordination, destination management, stakeholder participation, investment, marketing, digitalisation and sustainability. The findings indicate that Türkiye has developed a relatively integrated model combining central tourism governance, destination promotion and sustainability mechanisms; Egypt relies more strongly on centralized coordination supported by public-private consultation and financial instruments; while Thailand demonstrates a more decentralized and multi-level governance model emphasizing local participation, community-based tourism and digital management. Despite these differences, all three countries demonstrate a transition from traditional administrative management toward coordinated, stakeholder-oriented and destination-based governance. The study concludes that Uzbekistan can benefit from adapting selected elements of these models, particularly destination-level coordination, public-private partnerships, sustainability mechanisms and digital tourism governance.