The purpose of the article is to identify the primary determinants of cooperation in tourism in the process of innovation diffusion in a region. The analysis of subject literature was the main research method applied in examining the theoretical foundations explaining the problems of cooperation in the process of innovation diffusion, with particular emphasis on tourism. Apart from the analysis a synthesis was performed, which resulted in developing a model of innovation diffusion determinants in tourism, constituting the cooperation effect of institutions at various levels. The institutional approach was adopted in the problem discussion. In its course four mutually related dimensions were identified, i.e.: capacity for establishing cooperative relations of an economic and social nature in the area of innovation, cooperation levels in innovation diffusion and also the motives of cooperation in the field of innovation.