In a year where Slovenia's cycling champions, Tadej Pogačar and Primož Roglič, have topped international rankings, the 30th edition of the Tour of Slovenia has highlighted the nation's rich cycling heritage. The race, held in mid-June, engaged millions of fans across Slovenia and through global television and social media platforms.

This week, Žalec was awarded the prestigious Best Host Award for its exceptional hospitality and commitment to enhancing the experience for participants and spectators. This award recognizes Žalec's dedication to the cycling community and highlights the role such events play in promoting sports tourism in Slovenia.

The 30th edition marked a historic milestone by uniting all four neighboring countries for the first time. It showcased 46 participating destinations and 71 tourist attractions through captivating television broadcasts. This partnership among Adria Mobil Cycling Club, Slovenian Tourist Board (STB), local destinations, volunteers, and the Slovenian Police was honored with a special award at the closing ceremony.

MSc Maja Pak Olaj, Director of STB, emphasized: "This marks the seventh consecutive year that the STB has been involved in the Tour of Slovenia. In celebration of this 30th anniversary edition, we again partnered with Eurosport and implemented numerous communication and promotional activities, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. This endeavor has further solidified Slovenia's visibility as a land of elite athletes and a top destination for active outdoor adventures. The event highlighted 46 destinations, enhancing the visibility of the Tour of Slovenia on the international stage. The race is a true ambassador of our nation’s passion for sport, nature, and hospitality. The STB remains dedicated to showcasing Slovenia as a top tourist destination through the achievements of our outstanding athletes and hosting top international sporting events in the future."

As part of its promotional efforts for the Tour of Slovenia, STB produced 10 destination videos that aired from June through July during iconic events like Giro d'Italia and Tour de France on Eurosport channels 1 and 2. Over this period, 220 ads were broadcasted, including 80 showcasing destinations. These ads reached an impressive 12.7 million viewers with 7.5 million sports fans tuning in to watch the race.

Digital engagement also saw significant growth with a reach of 2.4 million users on STB’s social media channels alone. Additionally, STB placed ads on Eurosport’s websites and apps targeting key European markets such as UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Poland.

A standout innovation this year was an online prize draw in partnership with Eurosport which attracted a record 13.6 thousand participants—making it Eurosport's most successful prize draw ever.

Žalec consistently hosted stage starts and finishes during previous Tours but particularly stood out this year when it hosted Stage 2's start in Štajerska region—a lively celebration featuring side events that drew countless visitors to its renowned Beer Fountain and Eco Museum of Hop-Growing & Brewing.

Other awards included Ljubljana winning Innovation Award for its daring cycling descent from Nebotičnik while Dobrovnik took home Most Committed Municipality award; practically everyone turned out supporting race leaving no one at home! Slovenian Police were recognized ensuring safety over three decades without serious incidents reported underscoring exemplary organization—all official destinations received silver medals acknowledging their cooperation contributing towards continued success!