The man behind major sports events in Dalmatia: ‘Our goal is tourism 365 days’

It all started 16 years ago with the organization of the first international camp for handball goalkeepers, which in the meantime grew into the best camp of its kind in the world and was attended by legendary goalkeepers and coaches such as Vincent Gerard, Viktor Hallgrimsson, Dragan Jerković, Matej Mandić, Filip Ivić, Mirko Alilović, Marin Šego, Mayssa Pessoa, Dino Špiranec, Milan Tolić, Primož Prost, Haris Porobi, Dejan Milosavljev, Nikola Portner, Ice Sokoleski, Urh Kasteli, Kristof Palasics, Roland Mikler… and this year, in June, two of our bronze-winning goalkeepers, Dominik Kuzmanovi, arrived in Omiš. and David Mandić.

Although the International Camp of Handball Goalkeepers is an elite event, the World Cup of Handball Veterans, which will be held this year in May, is much more recognizable in the world of handball. Again with a record number of participants, almost 2500 competitors and guests from all over the world are coming, so the organizers had to expand the tournament, which will be played this year in as many as four halls, two in Omiš and two in Makarska. And not only that, two months ago due to the impossibility of expanding the tournament, registrations were suspended and everyone who wanted to attend was redirected to registration for next year, when the tenth jubilee edition of the largest veteran handball event in the world will be held.

Omiš, Makarska and numerous hotels will arrive ready for the season, and everything will start in two weeks in Omiš, with the fourth World Cup of Basketball Veterans, which will bring about 600 participants and guests from all over the world to the city at the mouth of Cetina, from the United States of America and Argentina, through Spain, Germany and England to Georgia and countries in our immediate surroundings. Until now, the tournament has brought many famous names to Omiš, from Željko Jerkov, through Andrije Žižić, Bruno Šundov, Roko Leni Ukić, to NBA players&ccaron Nikoloz Ckitišvili, Geert Hamming, Joey Vickery, Razija Mujanovicć, Zagorka Počeković, Vedranać Grin…

– If we say that the tourist season begins with us and that we generate over 17,000 overnight stays in the most sensitive part of the season, at its beginning, then we have said enough how important what we are doing is not only for us as an organization and the cities where the competitions take place, but also for the whole of Dalmatia and Croatia – Mario tells us. Čalkushić which stands behind all three major projects.

– One example can prove the potential of these manifestations. When we started the Handball World Cup, we had similar numbers as we have today at the Basketball World Cup, but handball has grown four times in the meantime. The organization is the same, the only difference is that in May, unlike April, more hotels are opened and there are many more flights from low-cost companies, so it is easier for athletes to travel. We are sure that opening flights earlier would significantly increase the number of competitors in our basketball tournament, because basketball is a more popular sport than handball and is played by many more athletes.

By opening up tourist facilities and cheap flights and building new infrastructure, primarily gyms, sports tourism could become a big flywheel of tourism.

– Our common goal should be “Tourism 365”, so that the season is not interrupted but continues continuously. This would certainly help hotels to more easily retain a quality workforce, and it would open the possibility for us to organize similar events in the winter months as well. From next year, we are planning to organize the Padel World Cup, who knows, maybe we will decide to organize similar events in some other sports as well if the airlines and hotels allow us to do so – said Čaljkusić and adds:

– Keyč everything is a good organization and the people behind it. We have about a hundred experienced people of various profiles who are ready and able to organize even bigger competitions than World Cups, and quality people are the basis of everything. If the local self-government upgrades the existing organization with better conditions such as hotels and halls, and if the airlines start flights early enough, we believe that in the short term we can multiply the number of arrivals and overnight stays of our guests, which would be great for all of us, especially for the local community, which has to find a way to support such projects.