This article features results of research of specific properties and new possibilities of using marketing areas. For this purposes we analysed the main differences between traditional marketing and area marketing. We point out their most significant differences in the composition and content, evaluate competitive positions, purposes, methods, organizational support, place and role in the control system. The analysis disclosed the two-sided nature of the concept of "territory" in the marketplace as a special "commodity" with multiuseful value and as "major company" that produces a certain set of goods and services. On this basis, we formed some approaches to the identification and grouping of the competitive position of the territories. There are three groups: territorial competitive position, the industry's competitive position, territorial and industry competitive position. The article identifies the main purpose of marketing areas, aimed at creating an enabling environment for the implementation of investment proposals, providing the best growth prospects. It shows the place and the role of marketing territories as a key element in the development of control systems in market conditions. There are five stages of formation and development of marketing territories. Accordingly, there are five areas of development management models in market conditions. On this basis, we prove the possibility and the necessity of forming a multi-level development of the control systems in areas across the country as a whole. Each level of control in such system takes a proactive approach and learns new methods of presenting the territory for investors. It generates investment proposals and investment fields, negotiates and coordinates with other levels of management of their investment interests and goals to enable the development through "vectors as corridors" investment development. It implements a set of investment marketing mix. New processes to market-oriented multi-level governance model are described, such as: - management of competitive positions of the territory; - process of interaction with investors; - process of harmonization and lobbying interests of the territory; - process of self-development marketing territories.