Sports tourism appeared at the beginning of the 19th century when the development of roads and means of transport began. There are numerous definitions of sports tourism, which followed its development and were supplemented over time. Sport developed and was historically linked to the development of the social and economic functions of tourism. The forms and types of sports tourism can be explained through hiking, horseback riding, various tours, fitness training, water and outdoor activities, health activities, etc. This selective form of tourism is planned and developed due to the consideration and analysis of possible failures in the integrated development of the destination. Sports tourism has been popularized and as such has become part of the tourist product of the destination. The natural resources of the destination play an important role in the development of sports tourism. The County of Istria has progressed in terms of tourist offer. In cities such as Poreč, Pula, Rovinj and Umag, international sports events are held such as: Arena Cup, Rally Poreč, ATP Umag, Istra 100 by UTMB, Offshore World Challenge. The paper concludes by analyzing the events that the advantages of the development of sports tourism in terms of contribution to the development of the destination are greater than the disadvantages. The Croatian Tourist Board can greatly help in raising the quality of the entire tourist offer in a tourist destination, by presenting the offer of sports tourism abroad and raising the reputation of Croatian tourism. Sports tourism affects the diversity of the tourist offer, the improvement of the quality of accommodation, the attractiveness/image of the destination, the infrastructure and seasonality of specific sports programs, the contribution to the local economy and the improvement of the quality of life of local residents. The results of the research can help future researchers in the analysis of sports events in order to better coordinate the activities of stakeholders.