SUSTAINABLE SPORT TOURISM AS A POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CONTINENTAL CROATIA

Abstract

Development of sport tourism in contemporary environment is strongly connected to the concept of sustainability. Starting point of such attempts can be traced to high dependence of sport tourism upon quality natural resources. For that reason, destinations in rural areas tend to have high potential for developing sport tourism, especially if they are in initial stages of development. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyse potentials of developing sport tourism of continental Croatia in the context of sustainability. This region is insufficiently valorised in the context of tourism development and therefore it is necessary to determine products which would initiate more intensive development of this area. For the purpose of the paper primary research was conducted with the aim to examine motivation of visitors for visiting this area. Furthermore, the aim was to determine the perception of importance of sustainable development of sport tourism in continental Croatia. Research results indicate high level of tourists' awareness about the importance of this concept and the necessity of more intensive development of sport tourism and sport activities within this region.