Sports tourism between potential and strategy: Zagreb County Tourist Board opens up key development issues

The question of whether sports tourism can grow beyond the scope of an individual event and become a strategic product of a destination was the focus of the panel. "Spartan Trail & Destination Impact: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Tourism Growth"The panel was held at the premises of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, where representatives of the public sector, the tourism system and the sports community gathered.

In the opening address of the director Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilović She emphasized that sports tourism for continental destinations represents an opportunity to develop year-round offerings and to create authentic experiences that connect nature, active outdoor activities, and local identity.

"For us, sports tourism is not just an event, but an opportunity to develop a year-round offer, activate spaces and create authentic experiences that connect nature, recreation and local identity", she pointed out.

That such development does not depend solely on one event, but on a broader system of cooperation, was confirmed by a discussion in which the mayor of Sveta Nedelja and a member of parliament participated. Dario Zurovec, director of the Sveta Nedelja Tourist Board Renata Vlahovic, Spartan competitor and founder of the OCR CRO association Andrej Šimatić and organizer of the Spartan race Ivan ZrinusicIt was clear from the different perspectives from which they approached the topic that sports tourism is today viewed less and less as an isolated event, and more and more as a development tool that can influence the recognizability of a destination, the activation of space, and the quality of local offerings.

Speaking about the role of the local community and the public sector, Dario Zurovec pointed out that sports tourism is a concrete development tool that brings visible results at the local level.

"Sveta Nedelja recognized the importance of Spartan and thus set a good example of investing in clear strategies, infrastructure and quality cooperation at the local and national levels. Such projects not only increase tourist traffic, but also stimulate the economy and strengthen the quality of life in the community", he said. His emphasis on the long-term effects of sporting events further opened the question of how much cities and institutions are willing to recognize more than a one-day event in such projects.

From a destination management perspective, it was emphasized that the real challenge does not begin with the organization of the race, but at the moment when the participant needs to be transformed into a guest who stays longer and experiences the destination beyond the event itself. In this context, Renata Vlahović raised the question of how to develop sports tourism as part of a long-term strategy, and not as a project limited by the duration of the event. Connecting the race with the destination's offer, spending time in nature and additional amenities was highlighted as a key step in creating a complete experience.

The discussion gained an additional dimension through the perspective of the sports community itself, where Andrej Šimatić warned that competitors today do not only choose the race, but also the experience that comes with it. Nature, atmosphere, sense of community, organization and the way in which the destination welcomes participants are often decisive factors that make participants return and recommend the destination to others. It is precisely this "experience" that is increasingly becoming one of the key elements of the competitiveness of sports tourism.

Part of the discussion was also dedicated to the youngest, namely the importance of involving children in sports from an early age. It was emphasized that sports for children are not only important for physical activity, but also for the development of discipline, self-confidence, healthy habits, perseverance and a sense of belonging to the community. In this context, it was especially emphasized that there are no rankings for children under 14, which puts the focus on participation, movement and positive experience, and not on the result. That interest in such activities exists was also shown by this year's children's race, for which all 300 places were sold out.

From an organizational perspective, it was emphasized that an internationally relevant sporting event requires much more than a good idea and an attractive location. As Ivan Zrinušić emphasized in the discussion, the difference between an average event and one that leaves a long-term mark on the destination is made up of professional execution, logistical preparation and quality cooperation with local partners. The issue of volunteering was also raised, and it was emphasized that today it is increasingly challenging to motivate young people to get involved in such projects, although volunteers are often the invisible, but key force of any major event. In this sense, the importance of local support was particularly emphasized, with Sveta Nedelja and its residents once again confirming themselves as an important pillar in the organization and implementation of the race.

In the broader context of the European market, the question is also open as to whether Croatia, and especially its continental part, can take a stronger position among safe, accessible and authentic destinations through sports tourism. The conclusion of the discussion was that the potential undoubtedly exists, but that the real breakthrough will depend on how successfully we transform sports events into systematically developed, sustainable and market-competitive products.

Finally, it was emphasized that a real breakthrough in sports tourism is not only brought about by good organization, but also by the ability to turn an event into long-term value for the destination and the community.