The aim of this thesis is to explore the role of local and global networking, institutionalization and institutional thickness of tourism firms and clusters in order to explain their contribution to tourism development. Recent development literature emphasizes the crucial role of different level of networks, institutionalizations and clustering in the development of regions. In this respect, this thesis tries to explore the role of networks, new organizational set-ups and clustering by adapting them to tourism case. It is hypothesized that global networks are also important in addition to local networks, and play crucial role in the performance of tourism firms and clusters. On this basis, types and intensity of local &amp / global networks in tourism organizations and clusters, development of associational structure in tourism clusters and firms, and the level of relations between different associations and tourism firms are tried to be examined by focusing on the theoretical framework on development models, networking, institution and cluster based studies. This thesis employs a quantitative method of analysis and social network analysis for identifiying the level of networks of tourism firms&amp / organizations and clusters. In this way, this thesis describes their contribution to local tourism development. Although tourism is somewhat different from other sectors, findings of the case study generally support the claims of the development literature for tourism case.

Magistro darbe analizuojama Mažeikių rajono turizmo situacija bei plėtros perspektyvos Lietuvos regioninės politikos kontekste. Darbe apibūdinamos pagrindinės Mažeikių rajono turizmo sritys – gamtinė, kultūrinė ir sporto turizmo aplinka, infrastruktūra, jų reikšmė vietinio ir atvykstamojo turizmo plėtrai, analizuojami teisiniai turizmo dokumentai. Keliami darbo uždaviniai - charakterizuoti esamus rajono turistinius išteklius ir įvertinti stiprybes, silpnybes, galimybes bei galimas grėsmes, pateikiant kiekvienos turizmo srities SSGG (angl. SWOT) analizes. Siekiant ištirti Mažeikių rajono turizmo sektoriaus valdymo problemas, buvo apklausti penkių pagrindinių rajono turizmo institucijų ekspertai. Tyrimo metu siekta išsiaiškinti ekspertų nuomonę apie turizmo valdymo situaciją, turizmo institucijų veiklos funkcijas, tų funkcijų praktinį pritaikymą, bendradarbiavimo tarp institucijų ir verslo partnerių aspektus. Baigiamojoje dalyje pateiktos išvados ir įvairios problemų sprendimo galimybės, ekspertinio tyrimo metodu įvertintos plėtros perspektyvos vietiniam ir atvykstamajam turizmui skatinti ekonomikos atsigavimo laikotarpiui. / This master’s work analysis the situation of tourism and prospects of expansion in Mažeikiai district in the context of regional policy of Lithuania. Firstly, the leading fields of tourism of Mažeikiai district such as natural, cultural and sport tourism environment, infrastructure, their importance to the expansion of local and coming tourism have been definable in this work as well as legal tourism documents have been analyzed. Objectives: to define the present tourist resources of the district and evaluate the strength, the weakness, opportunities and possible threats providing analysis of every sphere of tourism (SWOT). Secondly, for the attainment of exploring the problems of the management of tourism division of Mažeikiai district the experts of five leading tourism institutions of the district have been interviewed. Furthermore, during the survey the experts’ view on the situation of management of tourism, the functions of work of tourism institutions, and putting them into practice, and the aspects in collaboration with the tourism institutions and business, has been aspired. Finally, the conclusion and various potentialities of solution to problems are provided in the final part and using the method of expert research the prospects of expansion for local and coming tourism to stimulate during economical recovery period have been assessed.