In today's globalized world, sports events play a key role in the development and promotion of tourist destinations. This paper analyzes the role of sports events in tourism on the example of the Republic of Croatia, with special emphasis on three important competitions: the Youth Sports Games in Split, the European Handball Championship in 2018 and the European Water Polo Championship in 2024. The aim of the work was to investigate how the management of sports events affects the tourism development of destinations and how it contributes to their valorization and promotion. Understanding the impact of sporting events on tourism requires an interdisciplinary approach that includes economics, marketing, ecology, law, sociology and other relevant fields. Through the analysis of available literature and relevant information, the paper showed how sports events contribute to the tourist attractiveness of destinations, as well as how the management of sports events develops and adapts to the needs of the market. The paper provided insight into how sports competitions not only attract visitors, but also create long-term value for destinations through promotion, infrastructure and development of local communities.