Ms Darina Rojíková (p), Mrs Anna Vaňová, Mrs Katarína Vitálišová

Regions increasingly seek endogenous development pathways capable of addressing demographic decline, economic peripheralisation, governance fragmentation, and pressures for sustainable transformation. While cultural and pilgrimage tourism have been examined separately within tourism studies, their potential role as territorially embedded innovation mechanisms remains theoretically underdeveloped. In particular, cultural pilgrimage tourism (CPT) has not been conceptualised within the framework of regional transformation, innovation ecosystems, or transformation demand. This represents a significant research gap at the intersection of tourism studies and regional science.
The paper aims to conceptualise cultural pilgrimage tourism as a regional transformation ecosystem and to develop a CPT Transformation demand framework that explains under what structural and institutional conditions CPT can function as a catalyst for sustainable regional development. Rather than treating CPT as a sectoral tourism product, the proposed framework positions it as a multi-layered socio-technical system embedded in place-based governance structures and regional innovation dynamics.
Methodologically, the study adopts a theory-building research design grounded in abductive reasoning and conceptual synthesis. It integrates insights from cultural and pilgrimage tourism research, regional innovation ecosystem theory, socio-technical transition studies, and place-based development approaches. Through systematic conceptual mapping, the paper constructs a three-layer analytical model consisting of: (1) a Transformation demand layer capturing structural pressures, latent territorial capital, and underutilised synergies; (2) an Ecosystem capacity layer encompassing governance readiness, social cohesion, digital infrastructure, and innovation potential; and (3) a Synergic transformation dynamics layer explaining how CPT generates economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and quality-of-life effects through iterative feedback mechanisms.
The framework advances regional science by introducing a structured approach to identifying when and how CPT can evolve from a cultural mobility phenomenon into a territorially embedded innovation ecosystem. It further proposes a typology of CPT regions based on the interaction between transformation demand and ecosystem capacity. The model offers conceptual foundations for subsequent empirical validation in peripheral or heritage-rich regions and provides policy-relevant insights for municipalities seeking to mobilise cultural assets within smart, sustainable, and ecosystem-based governance strategies.
By bridging tourism theory with territorial transformation discourse, the paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of how cultural pilgrimage tourism can support resilient, place-based regional futures.

Ms Katarina Vitálišová (p), Ms Anna Vaňová, Mr. Maroš Finka

The smart city concept has evolved from a technology-centred notion into a comprehensive framework for urban and regional development. Rather than focusing solely on digital tools, it emphasises the use of information and communication technologies as enabling instruments for achieving broader societal objectives, including improved quality of life, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and effective governance. Central to this approach is smart governance, which links technological innovation with coordinated strategic planning and coherent public policies. The paper analyses key challenges related to the development of smart cities and smart regions in Slovakia. It is based on research conducted within the STICS project and combines a systematic review of national and regional strategic documents with empirical evidence. The methodology includes qualitative content analysis of policy and planning documents, case studies of selected Slovak cities, and structured interviews with representatives of local governments.
The study demonstrates that successful implementation of smart solutions depends less on isolated technological initiatives and more on institutional capacity, stakeholder coordination, and multi-level governance. Urban and regional challenges often exceed administrative boundaries; therefore, smart cities must be understood within the wider context of functional urban areas and smart regions. However, governance arrangements in Slovakia remain fragmented, characterised by weak horizontal coordination across policy sectors and insufficient vertical alignment between national, regional, and local levels. This fragmentation limits the ability of public authorities to design and implement integrated strategies reflecting functional socio-economic and mobility linkages. Another major issue is the insufficient integration of functional territorial relationships into planning and decision-making processes. Many initiatives remain isolated pilot projects lacking coordination at the regional level, which restricts their capacity to address cross-boundary challenges such as mobility management, energy systems, environmental resilience, and public service provision. Moreover, limited institutional and administrative capacities of self-governing regions hinder the systematic incorporation of smart approaches into economic development, social policy, environmental management, and spatial planning.
The findings indicate that the advancement of smart cities in Slovakia relies primarily on governance transformation rather than technological deployment alone. Strengthening multi-level governance, improving data governance and evidence-based decision-making, and adopting adaptive, integrated, and territorially sensitive planning instruments are essential prerequisites for inclusive, resilient, and sustainable smart urban and regional development.

Dr. Lucia Dobrotová (p), Dr. Mária Murray Svidroňová

Cities and regions are facing increasing complexity of environmental, social, and technological challenges that require new forms of innovation governance and solution co-creation. The concept of Living Labs (LL) represents an experimental and participatory approach enabling the involvement of diverse stakeholders in the joint design, testing, and implementation of innovative solutions in real-life environments. This paper examines the potential for the development of Living Labs in Slovak cities and their role in processes of territorial transformation. Theoretically, the article builds upon the concepts of regional innovation ecosystems, transformative demand, and the synergistic integration of socio-technical innovations. Living Labs are conceptualized as operational nodes within urban innovation ecosystems, facilitating the mobilization of latent territorial capacities and supporting experimental forms of adaptive governance. The empirical section is based on a comparative analysis of selected Slovak cities in which initiatives incorporating elements of Living Labs or similar participatory innovation platforms were identified. The analysis assesses the level of institutional support, the degree of stakeholder engagement, linkages to strategic documents, data infrastructure, and the potential for long-term sustainability. The findings indicate a fragmented and predominantly project-based character of existing initiatives; however, they also reveal significant transformative potential grounded in active communities, university capacities, and increasing digitalization capabilities. The discussion highlights the need for a more systemic integration of Living Labs into strategic urban governance, the strengthening of data architecture, and the establishment of stable institutional frameworks that support co-creation and experimentation. Although the analysis is embedded in the Slovak context, the findings are also relevant for other post-communist countries facing similar structural and institutional challenges. The paper contributes to the debate on how Living Labs can activate transformative demand and enhance the resilience and innovation capacity of smart cities.