Digital transformation as a strategic goal is not new in the cultural heritage sector, yet it gained momentum due to COVID-19. This is reflected in policies and national strategies across Europe, where digitalisation is often seen as key to sustainable development. This study focuses on small heritage institutions in peripheral settings and explores the opportunities and limitations of digitalisation and its impact on sustainable regional development. A mixed-methods approach was applied, including a literature review, an online survey, focus groups, and a stakeholder interview, complemented by a case study. The findings show an uneven distribution of the perceived benefits, depending on funding, staff, and location. Nevertheless, digital transformation has positive social impacts by enhancing access to, participation in, and awareness of cultural heritage and therefore well-being. However, its economic effects in peripheral regions should not be overestimated. Digitalisation’s ecological impact on sustainable regional development is an underrepresented topic in the literature. Moreover, digitalisation is particularly challenging in peripheral regions and for smaller institutions with limited resources and should not be regarded as a guaranteed pathway towards sustainability. This paper contributes to an emerging field by examining the intersection of heritage institutions, digitalisation, and sustainable regional development in peripheral areas.

Peripheral regions are seen in the literature as disadvantaged in various dimensions, struggling to valorise their existing (cultural) assets. Networking is often considered an integral part in unlocking these assets, an approach also fostered by different regional policies. In this article, we analyse governance arrangements around tourism assets in three central European regions. The comparison provides an important input to existing discussions on cultural tourism, regional development and governance in peripheral places. The analysis shows that formal governance structures in the case study regions are often well developed but that policy‐making capacities are limited by a low stakeholder base.