The dissertation research is dedicated to the substantiation of scientific and methodological foundations and practical recommendations for the formation of a regional policy for regulating the innovative development of the tourism sector, which made it possible to carry out a theoretical generalization and provide practical recommendations for solving the scientific tasks set. Generalization of approaches to defining the principles of sustainable development of the tourism sector allowed us to combine them into three main areas: preserving and minimizing the negative impact on the environment; obtaining economic benefits from tourism activities both for the subject that carries it out and for the host party; development of the tourism sector as a condition for improving the level and quality of life of the population. The author’s conceptualization of the sustainable development of the tourism sector allowed us to propose an approach in which this development considered as a reproduction of the processes of production and improvement of a tourist product, in conditions of achieving a balance or positive effect between the environmental, socio-cultural and economic components of tourism activities and its consequences. It is proved that one of the most important aspects of innovative tourism development in the region is socialization. It is proved that important threats to tourism security are not only terrorism and military conflicts, but also the spread of dangerous diseases. In the context of the pandemic crisis, two aspects of Tourism socialization have been identified. First of all, the tourist needs of the population are very significant, in the current conditions of the danger of travel. Secondly, within the destination, the level of rejection of tourism as a factor that threatens the stability and functioning of socio-economic and socio-cultural systems of the region is growing. Formed based on the social doctrine of tourism, the regional policy in this area, which is based on the paradigm of innovative development, can be structured in eight main areas – administrative, educational and scientific, socio-cultural, organizational, infrastructure, technological, environmental, information. The work proves that the primary aspect of the local direction of innovative tourism development is the presence of tourist potential, formed primarily by natural and historical, and cultural tourist resources and objects of the territory. It was proved that the innovative development of such a type of tourist activity as ecotourism should be based on the principles of balance and constancy. Eco-tourism makes it possible to introduce process innovations into the practice of tourist organizations, and also contributes to the active involvement of the scientific and educational sphere in the innovative subsystem of the regional tourism system. It is proved that in the current conditions of the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduced restrictions on tourism activities in Ukraine, it is at the beginning of the third level of the synergetic model. It is noted that effective regulation of innovation processes is critical to preserve the stability of the tourism system and its transition to a new, more adapted state. Taking into account the identified regional differences, as well as the described models, the directions, goals, priorities, and expected results of the strategy for innovative development of the tourism sector in the region are justified. In particular, such areas (goals) are identified as institutional (coordination of interests of stakeholders, the formation of innovative structures), organizational (increasing the innovative activity of tourist enterprises, tourist branding and rebreeding), social (optimization of tourist flows, tourism security, development of tourist education and science), spatial (introduction of innovations in the spatial development of destinations, use of the tourist potential of the region based on sustainable development).
