Digitalization as an instrument for improving the efficiency of governmental regulation of rural tourism

The digital transformation of public administration serves as a pivotal instrument for overcoming systemic dysfunctions in regulating complex cross-sectoral areas, including rural tourism. An empirical analysis based on data from the Russian Federation Accounts Chamber, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia (FAS Russia), and the All-Russian People’s Front identified persistent institutional barriers: duplication of functions, regulatory fragmentation, and poor interagency coordination. These issues result in project approval timelines extending to 120-135 days and high transaction costs for businesses. The study aims to develop and verify a model of a digital platform designed to optimize interagency interaction and administrative processes within the existing regulatory framework. The methodology includes the calculation of a composite digitalization index (CDI) based on an adapted methodology from the OECD and the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, correlation analysis of data from the Russian Ministry of Agriculture and the Russian Ministry of Finance (2021-2025), content analysis of 75 regulatory acts, and expert interviews with government officials (n = 15). The results demonstrate a strong positive correlation between the level of digitalization and the growth of tourist inflow (r = 0.72; p < 0.01), as well as the efficiency of budget fund utilization (up to 92% in regions with a high CDI compared to 65% in regions with a low CDI). It is established that increased funding for support programs does not compensate for institutional constraints; the key efficiency factors are data harmonization, end-to-end procedures, and system interoperability. The discussion emphasizes the necessity of the synchronous implementation of three components: legislative unification, the creation of a digital ecosystem, and training for civil servants, which is supported by successful EU practices. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the quantitative substantiation of a causal relationship between digitalization and the overcoming of institutional, rather than technological, barriers, as well as in the development of a platform architecture that integrates disparate data and procedures. The practical significance is reflected in specific measures to reduce the administrative burden and increase the transparency of state regulation.