The thesis discusses sports and recreational facilities as a key factor in expanding the tourist offer of the Krapinsko – zagorska county. This county, located in the northwest part of Croatia, is rich in cultural heritage and natural beauty. As an alternative to mass tourism, a specific form of tourism has emerged, encompassing smaller segments of tourist demand, such as sports and recreational tourism. The development of sports and recreational tourism plays an important role in destination selection and is based on natural and social material resources. Krapinsko- zagorska county has several sports centers, halls and stadiums that provide residents and visitors with various sports disciplines. Through the development of the existing sports and recreational infrastructure and the construction of new facilities, Krapinsko – zagorska county has the opportunity to become a leading destination for continental tourism in Croatia. Strategic development of sports and recreational infrastructure through tourism would stimulate the construction of indoor sports halls, modernized thematic, adrenaline and adventure parks, which need to be coordinated with accommodation capacity. Significant attention should be paid to sustainable development in sports and recreational tourism as part of the strategic tourism development. Sustainable sports and recreational tourism base their offer on the rational use of natural resources. In this way, sports and recreational tourism are linked to rural tourism, especially in the context of cycling tourism.