Celtic, the legendary football club from Glasgow, chose Slovenia as the location for its pre-season preparations this summer. During their two-week stay in Slovenia, they played friendly matches and trained in Maribor and its green surroundings. "The friendly fixtures against Slovenian clubs are a good test for us," said Celtic’s star coach Brendan Rodgers.

To train for the new season, Celtic played against Slovenian clubs NK Celje, NK Olimpija and NK Maribor. "Friendly fixtures against the Slovenian clubs were a good test for us and our physical condition. I am convinced there is an exciting season ahead of us. Our time in Slovenia has been wonderful, the hotel and the food are great, people are kind, friendly and accommodating, and everyone is willing to help us create suitable training conditions. We came here to work, but it is also very important for us to be able to enjoy ourselves and visit some parts of Slovenia," said Brendan Rodgers.

He was accompanied by 31 Celtic players – including , the goalkeeper of the Scottish national team, Scott Brown, the captain of Celtic and the Scottish national team, Emilio Izaguirre, the captain of the Honduras national team, as well as Mikael Lustig from Sweden, Stefan Johansen from the Netherlands and Nir Bitton from Israel – as well as 16 staff members and a press team.

Slovenia – excellent destination for sports tourism
The Scottish club's decision to spend their summer in Slovenia shows that it is an excellent destination for sports tourism, preparations for world-class athletes and organisation of international sports events, while it also develops sports tourism products.

"During our past visits to Slovenia, we saw first-hand that the country has everything to become a centre of sports tourism: a favourable climate, word-class facilities, a passion for football and, most importantly, hospitality," said Tony Asghar, General Manager of Revolution Sports Travel. The company is active in sports tourism and has worked with elite sports teams such as Chelsea FC, Manchester City FC, Atletico de Madrid, Everton FC, Swansea City, Sunderland FC and RCD Espanyol. "We are convinced that Slovenia also has the necessary qualities and potentials to achieve similar success, so that it could host world football giants as soon as in four to five years."

Slovenia has excellent conditions for developing sports tourism. Thanks to its rich natural features at the heart of Europe, various sports activities can be carried out throughout the year. "We are glad that such a legendary Scottish club and a renowned company operating in sports tourism recognised Slovenia's potential as an exclusive destination for athletes' preparations. Slovenia has a strong sports infrastructure network and Slovenians can boast profound knowledge that has already contributed to the development of various sports products. International audiences have already become aware of our athletes' achievements, which improves Slovenia's recognisability and promotion. Slovenians feel that sport is close to their hearts, a part of their culture and a way of life for many of them, and some also see it as a business opportunity," said Maja Pak, Director of the Slovenian Tourist Board. The Slovenian Tourist Board will continue to make efforts to develop sports tourism and promote Slovenia as an excellent sports destination. As a matter of fact, this type of tourism is one of the fastest growing segments in the industry.