Goran Dragić's Farewell Game 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon' to Boost Slovenia's Visibility
On Saturday, 24 August 2024, Slovenia will host an ultimate basketball spectacle: the farewell game of Slovenian basketball virtuoso Goran Dragić. The high-profile event, titled 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon', will feature numerous world-renowned basketball stars and provide an exceptional opportunity to promote Slovenia. The Slovenian Tourist Board and SPIRIT Slovenia have partnered as national supporters to maximize the event's impact.
The 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon' will not only elevate Slovenia's profile as an outstanding sports, tourism, and business destination but also foster national pride, promote sport and healthy lifestyles, and generate tangible economic benefits, including increased tourism and foreign business visits. Recognizing the event's great potential, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) and SPIRIT Slovenia have partnered with the event to maximize national visibility and impact.
MSc. Maja Pak Olaj, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, emphasized: "Our world-class athletes inspire us and make us proud. They embody the values of the I Feel Slovenia brand—courage, perseverance, innovation, and a love of nature. The 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon' offers a unique opportunity to showcase Slovenia to the world. Through the extraordinary attention of sports fans and global media, we can highlight Slovenia's character as a place where outstanding nature, rich culture, attractive business opportunities and extraordinary sporting spirit intertwine. STB is pleased to be a national partner in this event alongside SPIRIT Slovenia, as we believe strongly in the synergy between sport and tourism. We are proud to work together to elevate our country's profile and reputation, and to foster the further development of tourism and the economy. I am confident that this evening will create unforgettable moments and inspire many sports fans to get to know and visit our beautiful country better. It will also inspire organizers of sporting events and athletic preparations to become excited about Slovenia."
Rok Capl, Director of SPIRIT Slovenia, added: "Slovenian athletes are excellent ambassadors for our country, and their success at important sporting events enhances Slovenia's visibility as a nation known for excellence, innovation,and perseverance across all fields. We believe in the strong synergies between sport and business, which is why SPIRIT Slovenia has identified high-profile sporting events as an excellent platform for business meetings. As a national partner, together with the Slovenian Tourist Board, we are delighted to join the farewell event of the top Slovenian athlete Goran Dragić. We see this as an exceptional opportunity to promote the Slovenian economy during the competition and to present our business and investment environment in greater depth at the business event the day before. I believe that through our synergies, we will be able to achieve great things for sport, the economy and Slovenia."
Goran Dragić's rich sporting career has significantly enhanced the visibility of Slovenian sport, particularly in basketball, and Slovenia as a whole. Having competed on some of the most prestigious basketball courts in the USA, he has made a remarkable impact in elevating Slovenia's reputation as a home to top basketball talent. Proudly serving as one of Slovenia's most prominent sporting ambassadors, Dragić has left an indelible mark on the global stage.
Dragić shared his heartfelt reflections, saying: "Playing for Slovenia has always held a special place in my heart. I am proud to be Slovenian and to have grown up in Ljubljana. It is a great honour for me to be an ambassador for the I Feel Slovenia brand, and I gladly accepted the proposal to name my farewell to professional basketball the I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon. My primary goal with this event is to support young athletes from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and to promote the beauty and spirit of my country and my city worldwide."
Set to take place at Stožice, Ljubljana, on 24 August this year, the 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon' basketball game marks Goran Dragić's official retirement from professional basketball. This event is poised to be remembered as one of Slovenia's most iconic moments, celebrating the career of a beloved athlete alongside basketball legends and distinguished guests. Luka Dončić, who is also the ambassador of Slovenian tourism, will also grace the occasion.
Brand Exposure and Business Event
Leading up to, during, and following the event, the Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) will conduct a series of promotional activities. The national brand has been integrated into the event's title, 'I Feel Slovenia Night of the Dragon', and the I Feel Slovenia logo will exclusively adorn the jerseys of the teams participating in the friendly match. To create a vibrant green atmosphere, the STB will distribute sports props among fans and oversee comprehensive event branding, ensuring prime visibility for the I Feel Slovenia brand and Slovenia as a top-tier tourist destination across televised event coverage. The event will also receive prominent promotion across Goran Dragić's and STB's social media platforms, which collectively boast a substantial following.
Simultaneously, SPIRIT Slovenia will contribute as a national partner in an international business gathering named 'Business Talk' at the Austria Trend Hotel on Friday, 23 August. Distinguished speakers from the worlds of sports and business will explore the synergies between these fields. At both the business event and the game, SPIRIT Slovenia will prominently feature branding to highlight Slovenia's economic strengths under the national campaign 'I Feel Slovenia. Green. Creative. Smart.' SPIRIT Slovenia serves as a pivotal resource for Slovenian enterprises, offering comprehensive support across all business phases and facilitating entry for international firms and investors. Anticipating a great number of athletes, guests and spectators from abroad, the agency will prominently showcase the Slovenia Business brand at both, the business forum and the sporting event, effectively presenting its services on a global stage.
SPIRIT Slovenia: Integrating Sport and Economy
SPIRIT Slovenia is committed to maximizing opportunities to promote the Slovenian economy. In 2019, the agency launched the highly successful national campaign 'I Feel Slovenia. Creative. Smart.', strategically promoting Slovenia's economy through targeted advertising in key markets and branding at international events. Featuring 41 exemplary Slovenian companies as ambassadors, the campaign has effectively showcased Slovenia as a leader in green, creative and smart economic initiatives on the global stage.
Sport also plays a pivotal role in enhancing Slovenia's global visibility, with Slovenian athletes achieving remarkable success worldwide. Recognizing this, SPIRIT Slovenia, under the auspices of the Ministry of Economic Development and Technology, introduced a concept last year to host business meetings alongside major international sporting events. This initiative underscores Slovenia's holistic approach to promoting the country by spotlighting athletic achievements alongside economic ambitions at prestigious global sporting gatherings.
The Slovenian Tourist Board: Slovenia as a Top Sports Destination
The Slovenian Tourist Board (STB) recognizes the powerful synergies between sport and tourism. In 2022 and 2023, during its active leisure and sports tourism communication theme, the STB significantly boosted the visibility of the I Feel Slovenia brand and Slovenia as a top-tier tourist destination through over 120 sports events. Also in 2024, the STB remains committed to actively participating in globally renowned sporting events. In addition, they establish partnerships and connect with esteemed athletes and the ambassadors of Slovenia tourism such as Luka Dončić, Primož Roglič, Tadej Pogačar, Janja Garnbret and clubs like the Dallas Mavericks.
Last year, the STB launched the publication "Slovenia: A Top Sports Destination" which has garnered multiple international awards. Targeting specialized tourist organizations, sports preparation agencies, professional and amateur sports clubs, international event organizers, sports journalists, and industry professionals, this publication showcases Slovenia's appeal as a sports powerhouse. In May, the STB unveiled the new website "Slovenia - Sports Destination," a comprehensive platform merging sports and tourism. This site serves as a central hub offering information on sports preparations, events across all levels, competitions, and rehabilitation and prevention resources for athletes, available in both Slovenian and English to cater to a global audience.
A Farewell with a Charitable Focus
Slovenian basketball star Goran Dragić, renowned for his NBA success, bids farewell to the basketball court in 2024 with a series of impactful projects. Collaborating with the Goran Dragić Foundation and several partners, he has spearheaded four charitable initiatives. The proceeds will benefit the Botrstvo v športu initiative, which supports young athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds. Additionally, funds will support the Goran Dragić Foundation, known for organizing the Gogi Basketball Camp, which renovates outdoor basketball courts nationwide and hosts various initiatives benefiting marginalized groups.
Cover photo (from left): Director of SPIRIT Slovenia Rok Capl, Goran Dragić and Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board, MSc. Maja Pak Olaj. Photo: Siniša Kanižaj.
Be up to date about what’s happening in Slovenian tourism. By subscribing to our newsletter you will receive the latest trade news in the field of tourism and other current information on a monthly basis.
The form contains errors
Please verify the marked fields and try again.
Share with friends
Scroll down until you see the heart icon on the left.
Click on the icon and the content will be added to favourites.
When you revisit the page (in the same browser), the content will still be saved in your favourites.
The General Terms and Conditions determine the conditions and manner of using the Slovenian Tourist Board’s Media Library services. In the Media Library, users have at their disposal high-resolution photos and audio-visual recordings of the products and services offered by Slovenian tourism, which are to be used solely for non-commercial purposes as defined below.
General rules of application
Registration is required to use the Media Library’s services. Registration is available to any legal entity in the Republic of Slovenia and abroad, regardless of their legal form, whose activities involve marketing, promoting and presenting Slovenia as a tourist destination.
Photos and audio-visual recordings (hereafter: materials) may be used free of charge for all non-commercial publications that constitute promotion of Slovenia as a tourist destination, abroad or in the Republic of Slovenia, in accordance with these General Terms and Conditions.
The right to use the materials is not limited in terms of time or place (the use is permitted in Slovenia and other countries) unless a restriction relating to location and duration of use is specifically provided for an individual item of material.
The Slovenian Tourist Board reserves the right to revoke a user’s right to use certain materials at any time.
The rights acquired based on these General Terms and Conditions may not be transferred to third parties.
Citing the source and authorship
Photos and audio-visual recordings may only be used with consistent citation of author/co-authors and source: www.slovenia.info.
Rights of use
A registered user of the Media Library shall obtain the following non-exclusive economic rights to use the downloaded photos and audio-visual recordings:
the right of reproduction and distribution,
the right of making available to the public,
the right of public presentation,
the right of including photos in other copyright work.
The above rights refer to all forms of non-commercial and free-of-charge online posts, print media, audio-visual media services and other communication channels, regardless of the type of media (print, digital), which includes:
Digital catalogues, e-magazines, newsletters (solely for the purposes of free distribution);
Publication in print and other media that report on the Slovenian tourism products and services or promote Slovenia as a tourist destination;
Use on social media as part of organic posts (reporting on an event, press releases (solely unpaid posts);
Printed promotional materials, prospectuses, leaflets, brochures (solely for the purposes of free distribution);
Promotional events in the Republic of Slovenia and abroad (e.g., tourism fairs, exchanges, workshops, presentations, etc.) that are exclusively or predominantly intended to promote Slovenia as a tourist destination.
The above forms of use include solely a free-of-charge form of using materials for the purposes of promoting tourism activities and services in the Republic of Slovenia or presenting Slovenia as a tourist destination.
Prohibited forms of using materials/commercial use of materials
Using materials for commercial purposes, such as reproduction on postcards, T-shirts, books, magnets, embedding audio-visual inserts in one’s own promotional materials, all forms of external advertising (stationary billboards, digital advertising, etc.), use in advertisements unrelated to the promotion of Slovenia as a tourist destination, use on websites that are not intended to present Slovenian tourism products and services and similar activities, is not included in these General Terms and Conditions and is prohibited.
It is strictly prohibited to use materials on media and distribution channels that are marketed or sold to users (books, school textbooks, other commercial publishing, calendars, postcards, fast-moving consumer goods (clothes and other products), advertising of non-tourism products and services, reproduction of materials on vehicles, etc.).
Using audio-visual materials is allowed only in the unchanged form available in the Media Library. Transformations, adaptations, clips, embeddings, and instances of using individual shots in one’s own audio-visual works, even if intended for promotional purposes, is prohibited.
Breaches of General Terms and Conditions
Any breach of economic and/or moral rights of the authors of photographs or audio-visual recordings may constitute a criminal offence and may result in substantive and damage liability of the user.
The entity breaching copyright pertaining to the material shall reimburse the Slovenian Tourist Board for all the damage incurred to it due to the breach of rights.
The Slovenian Tourist Board shall not be liable for any use of photos and video recordings that is contrary to these rules. The user of the material shall be entirely responsible for the content and manner of use.
General provisions
These Media Library General Terms and Conditions shall apply for all instances of using the material unless the Slovenian Tourist Board and user agree on special terms of using the material in advance and in writing for a specific instance of using the material.
These General Terms and Conditions shall be subject to occasional amendments. Upon the user’s publication of the material, the version of the General Terms and Conditions that is current at that particular time shall apply for the use of materials. If the user disagrees with the amendments made to these General Terms and Conditions, they shall immediately cease using the material and remove it from all media and other communication channels.
Alma is a ChatGPT-based virtual travel guide designed to help you find information and inspiration for your next visit to Slovenia. She is full of ideas for great experiences, knows Slovenian destinations and the variety of activities you are particularly interested in, so she can offer you personalised content and inspiring stories available on the official slovenia.info tourism portal.
Our virtual advisor was inspired by the intrepid world traveller Alma M. Karlin; therefore, we named her ALMA.
For an optimal experience, we suggest talking to Alma as a real interlocutor, mentioning the destination you are interested in, the activities you want to experience and when you want to visit Slovenia.
All information provided by Alma is for information purposes only and may contain limitations and errors.
The solution is based on ChatGPT technology, which is owned by OpenAI, and programming upgrades from our partner, Creatim d.o.o.. The content of conversations is retained for 30 days. Access to the content of conversations is limited to authorised persons of the Slovenian Tourist Board and the company Creatim d.o.o., who may process this content solely for the purpose of user support, optimisation, statistical analysis and further development of the Alma service. For the purpose of formulating Alma`s responses, user queries are forwarded to OpenAI servers located outside the EU. The data are encrypted before transmission and when saved to OpenAI servers. OpenAI guarantees compliance with GDPR standards and global best practices in data protection when processing data. Please do not enter your personal information (name, surname, email, phone number, etc.) in the chat window.
I give my consent to the Slovenian Tourist Board to use cookies that enable the display of content (e.g.: audio clips, video clips, images) from other online sources (YouTube, Spotify, etc.) and remember my language selection on the www.slovenia.info website. I also confirm that I have been acquainted with my rights related to the provided personal data.
Personal data controller:
Slovenian Tourist Board, Dimičeva ulica 13, Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 5898 550
Email: info@slovenia.info
I give permission for the Slovenian Tourist Board to record and store anonymised data about my activity on the website, which will be used to provide a better user experience for visitors to the portal in the future. I also confirm that I have been acquainted with my rights related to the provided personal data.
Personal data controller:
Slovenian Tourist Board, Dimičeva ulica 13, Ljubljana,
Phone: +386 1 5898 550
E-mail: info@slovenia.info
I give permission for the Slovenian Tourist Board to record my activities on the website regarding my visits to individual types of content in order to produce and display better quality content that is of interest to me.
As the Slovenian Tourist Board strives to display high-quality and interesting content on the website, it wishes to measure responses to the displayed notifications and content, track user activity on the website, and create user profiles for targeted advertising, and therefore automatically processes and analyses personal data and assesses user interest in displaying and receiving notifications. I also confirm that I have been acquainted with my rights related to the provided personal data.
Personal data controller:
Slovenian Tourist Board, Dimičeva ulica 13, Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 5898 550
Email: info@slovenia.info
I give permission for the Slovenian Tourist Board to record and store information about my interests, displays, and clicks on advertising content for the purpose of providing specific, topical, high-quality, and targeted advertising content, as well as for the purpose of measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns and limiting the repetition of advertisements. These settings apply to advertisements displayed by the Slovenian Tourist Board via advertising on social media platforms (e.g.: Meta, LinkedIn, etc.), international search engines (e.g.: Google), as well as through online applications and activities that directly address the user. Such cookies allow us to track our campaigns online. I also confirm that I have been acquainted with myrights related to the provided personal data.
Personal data controller:
Slovenian Tourist Board, Dimičeva ulica 13, Ljubljana
Phone: +386 1 5898 550
Email: info@slovenia.info
Privacy settings