THE IMPORTANCE OF SPORT EVENTS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CITY TOURISM: THE CASE OF NK MARIBOR

Turizem. Že sam pojem običajno povezujemo potovanje, razvedrilo in oddih. Športni turizem pa je še bolj natančno določena vrsta turizma, kjer je športno udejstvovanje ali spremljanje športne prireditve poglaviten motiv za izbiro določenega kraja za preživljanje svojega prostega časa. Turizem je ena najhitreje rastočih dejavnosti in športni turizem ima znotraj njega pomembno vlogo. In ko je govora o največjih športnih dogodkih na svetu, je najpogostejša asociacija za večino ljudi mega športni dogodek. Mednje spadata kot največja mega športna dogodka, olimpijske igre in svetovno prvenstvo v nogometu. Prireditelji teh dogodkov so znani že vrsto let vnaprej in mesta ter države vlagajo v organizacijo teh dogodkov ogromne zneske, ker pričakujejo tako kratkoročne kot dolgoročne pozitivne vplive prireditev za turističen in vsesplošen razvoj in nov ali dodaten zagon v mestu in državi, kjer se dogodek odvija. Vendar niso le mega dogodki tisti, ki pritegnejo množice. Tudi ostali športni dogodki so lahko magnet za obiskovalce in turiste od blizu in daleč. In zadnja leta so to v Mariboru dosegle tekme nogometnega kluba Maribor. Vrsto let so uspehi kluba v evropskih klubskih tekmovanjih pomenili gostovanje tujih klubov iz različnih koncev Evrope in s tem tudi njihovih navijačev, ki so s svojim prihodom znatno zaznamovali turistični utrip v mestu. Gostovanja kluba v tujini pa so prepričala množice navijačev, da so obiskali države in mesta, ki jih običajno ne izberejo za turistični obisk. Tako so tekme NK Maribor pomembno vplivale na obisk turistov pri nas in izbiro novih turističnih destinacij za veliko število simpatizerjev kluba.Tourism. The term itself is usually related to travelling, entertainment, and break. Sport tourism is even more specifically defined type of tourism, where sport activity or watching sporting event is the main motive for choosing a particular location for spending free time. Tourism is one of the fastest growing activities, and sport tourism has an important role within the tourism. And when it comes to the major sporting events in the world, for majority of people the most common association is mega sporting event. Among the latter are, as the biggest mega sporting events, Olympic Games and Football World Championship. The organizers of these events are known for several years in advance, and towns and states invest huge amounts of money in organization of these events, because they expect positive short- and long-term influences of the events for tourist and general development, and new or additional impetus in the town and country hosting the event. However, not only mega events attract crowds. Also other sporting events present a magnet for local and foreign visitors. In recent years, football matches of the Maribor Football club have achieved that. For many years, club´s successes in European football competitions have led to guest performance of the clubs from various parts of Europe, and therefore their fans, who significantly marked a town´s tourist pulse. Club´s guest performances abroad convinced crowds of fans to visit countries and towns, which are not usually chosen for tourist visit. Therefore, NK Maribor´s matches importantly influenced tourist visit in Slovenia and a choice of new tourist destinations for numerous club´s sympathisers