The article deals with the problem of formation and transformation of the regional tourism and recreation system in a market economy. The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that recreational resources together with recreational needs determine the type of recreational activities and contribute to the transformation, recreational development and landscape improvement, and the creation of unique recreational systems aimed at improving and enriching the biotic system. The purpose of the work is to study the structure, factors of formation and development of the regional tourist and recreational system and to evaluate its effectiveness. The material of the study is the stock materials of the Belgorod Regional State Statistics Committee of, reports of the Department of Education of the Belgorod region and the Committee on Culture, the Center for Children and Youth Tourism. The results of the study show that the tourist and recreational systems of the old-developed regions of the Central Black Earth Region (Belgorod) in the Soviet period were a classic example of regional systems aimed at meeting the internal needs of the population. The article highlights the stages of transformation of the Belgorod tourist-recreational system under the influence of market conditions and its modern structure, represented by two types of destinations (tourist and museum). Tourist destination satisfies regional recreational and recreational needs, recreational, therapeutic, balneological, recreational and sport fishing, hunting and competitive needs. The museum destination, which is currently being formed, is aimed at satisfying national and international recreational and educational needs. Currently, tourist and recreational systems of old-developed regions are undergoing their further development, because they are complex, dynamic systems, changing under the influence of the needs of the regional and national biotic system.