The aim of the article is to identify influence strength and characterize factors conducive and blocking international cooperation development in the border areas of Poland and Ukraine. By entering the trend of institutional economics, key institutions supporting the development of cooperation in the region and responsible for creating a cooperation policy were identified. Research was conducted in 2018 in purposely selected departments of these institutions which were responsible for cooperation. In this context, an important research element was identification of institutional environment factors that develop or limit this cooperation. The most frequently mentioned factors limiting cooperation development in tourism area are: political situation behind the eastern border, Ukrainian and Polish legal regulations, frequent changes in local government authorities or conditions related to crossing the border. On the other hand, those which favored cooperation included informal social connections, curiosity about new perspectives in cooperation, interregional agreements or cooperation programs, Poland’s membership in the EU or modern forms of communication. 

tourism, international cooperation, Poland, Ukraine