




































    

 American Journal of Medical and Physical Education 
Vol.6, Issue 3; May-June 2021; 

1252 Columbia Rd NW, Washington DC, United States 

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ASSESSING THE SUCCESS OF THE NEW BELGRADE SUMMER CUP HANDBALL 

20182018 AND THE IMPACT IN THE CITY OF BELGRADE 

 
1Anglikim, 2Hatziman Dimitris and Kaganas Konstantinos 
1PhD Candidate, Teacher of Physical Education 
2Assistance Professor, PhD, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences 

 3Teacher of Physical Education, PhD, MSc 

 

Abstract: Sport tourism is a growing industry that can benefit local communities, cities, and states. This paper 

examines the economic and social impacts of team handball tourism, focusing on the 2009 World Men's Handball 

Championship (WMHC09) in Split, Croatia. The findings suggest that WMHC09 had a positive impact on the 

local economy, with increased tourism revenue and job creation. The event also had a positive social impact, with 

improved community relations and increased pride in the city. 

Keywords: Sport tourism, Team handball, Economic impact, Social impact 

 

 

1. Introduction   

Sport Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing special forms of tourism, which can contribute to the economic 

development of a) local communities, b) cities c) states (Coghlan& Filo, 2013; Dwyer, Mellor, Mistilis& Mules, 

2000, Gibson, 2002). Sport tourism is not something new that happens in this century. If we look back at history 

we found out that people have engaged in sport related travel for centuries. However, it seems that the popularity 

of this form of travel has increased in the past ten years. We will find out of course various explanations. Maybe 

is positive the increased emphasis on health and fitness that increased the number of sports events by cities to 

attract tourists (Gibson, 1998).  Many researches seems that international sports events have long serving as 

occasions for the advertisement of the host nation and city (Whitson & Macintosh, 1996).    

Another thing is that investment in sporting infrastructure in small and big also cities was not only focus on getting 

involved the local community in sport, but was instead aimed at attracting tourists, encouraging not only the 

inward investment but also interested of changing the image of the city (Gratton, Shibli& Coleman, 2005). Team 

handball is very popular all over the world and especially in Europe. The popularity of this sport seems from the 

reason that in the Olympic Games in Rio (2016) it was the most popular sport after football in spectators and in 

tickets sells (“Rio 2016 – Handball most popular sport after football”). Recently, the 2009 World Men's Handball 

Championship (WMHC09) that organized in a small Croatian city, Split seems that the respondents‟ perceived 

the social impacts from co-hosting WMHC09 as mostly positive (Pranić, Petrić & Cetinić, 2012).   

Belgrade from 2016 starting organizes with great success the “New Belgrade Summer Cup”. This was a great 

opportunity, especially for the city of Belgrade, since Handball in Europe is very popular and so is Serbia. This 

year the tournament was taking place 26-28 June 2018. The event, “New Belgrade Summer Cup”, brought to 

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Belgrade 65 teams with boys and 20 teams with girls, which competed for a 3-day event to win the title of the 

Champion of the tournament. The organizer awarded with prizes the most successful teams of the tournament 

which means teams placed on first, second and third position in each category. These teams received a prize – 

original cup with logo of “New Belgrade Summer Cup”. Teams placed on first, second and third positionreceived 

medals. Awards to best players and coaches were also given. More specifically these were given to MVP player, 

to best goalkeeper, to best assist player and to best defender. Furthermore an award was given tobest coach of the 

tournament.  

This top organization was held in 7 placements, all rent by the state sports facilities all over Belgrade. The teams 

they contest were split in 2002 to 2005 born for boys and for girls were split in 2002 and 2004 born categories. 

These athletes were contest in 7 different courts. The tournament games are played only in indoor halls with a 

playing court of 40m x 20 m. Facilities are framed by cafe-bars, dormitories, gyms, and parking. All the event 

was covered with live streaming technology.  

2. Team Handball   

Team handball is a very popular sport all over the world and especially in the European community. It was initially 

included into the Olympic Games' program during the Munich Games in 1972 (Seil, Rupp, Tempelhof, & Kohn, 

1998; Pokrajac, 1989). The popularity of this sport seems from the reason that in the Olympic Games in Rio 

(2016) it was the most popular sport after football in spectators and in tickets sells. Moreover if someone consider 

the capacity of the fields of each sport (handball vs football) it was realized that handball was the dominant sport 

of these Olympic Games (“Rio 2016 – Handball most popular sport after football”). Nowadays Pokraiac (2010), 

reported that this game become more faster, more interesting and with more attractive attacks. This means more 

goals than before in the games. The number of goals seems to be the key of the popularity of the sport and is the 

crucial factor of the quality of the modern handball.    

More specifically it is a dynamic sport having a high degree of physical strain. Players of this game should have 

strength, speed, endurance, reaction speed and other physical abilities such as agility and flexibility (Wolf et al., 

1974; Khosla, 1983). Furthermore the players while dribbling and throwing should display adequate coordination. 

The demands and the characteristics of this sport are the constant and intense contact with the opponents, 

movements around the playing field at high speed using great strength, a high number of jumps, throws, and 

forceful contact with the ball during the games and the training sessions (Backx, Beijer, Bol& Erich, 1991; Wolf 

et al., 1974).  

Buchheit, Laursen, Kuhnle, Ruch, Renaud &Ahmaidi (2009), reported that the game because of its complex 

requires players also to adopt well developed aerobic and anaerobic capacities. The great successes in a sport 

depend to a large extent on the level of morphological characteristics and motor skills (Bota 1984; Hosek&Pavlin 

1983). The performance in team handball is up to athletes‟ morphological characteristics. Moreover in team 

handball there are different playing positions which conduce to the total performance. Each position has its 

specific demands and its characteristics. These lead team handball players to have or to adapt specific motor 

abilities and morphological characteristics in each position. Consequently in high level games, players have 

differences in body mass and in body high at four different playing positions (goalkeeper, pivot players, wingers 

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and backcourt players) (Ghermanescu, 1989). The positive outcome of a team handball game apart from athletes' 

physical abilities, depends on high technical, tactical, psycho-kinetic characteristics as well as on the accumulated 

knowledge and experience of the players (Bayios, 2000). Athletic performance depends on the great degree of 

expression-effect of motor skills, which occurs after the action of the influence of coaching procedures (Matveev, 

1977).   

Maximizing sports performance, which is assumption for a positive outcome, depends to a large extent on the 

level of all these above features and characteristics. Consequently team handball seems to require all the above 

mentioned factors. Also it is well understanding that team handball is a complex and difficult game for someone 

who want to play this sport in a high level. Apart from all these above mentioned characteristics there is one 

important fact which doesn‟t depend on training or on coaching procedure. This is cleverness and is the most 

important characteristic for someone who wants to play this sport in outstanding. 

3. Event  

Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, 

where the Pannonia Plain meets the Balkans. Its name translates to "White city". It is one of the most interesting 

cities in Europe where socialist blocks are squeezed between art nouveau masterpieces. With nice parks, local 

culture, food and night life. Grandiose coffee houses and smoky dives all find rightful place along KnezMihailova, 

a lively pedestrian boulevard flanked by historical buildings, all the way to the ancient Kalemegdan Citadel, the 

crown of the city. Deeper in Belgrade's bowels are museums guarding the cultural,religious and military heritage 

of the country.  

At the area of New Belgrade Handball Club “Novi Beograd” has organized summer International handball 

tournament “New Belgrade Summer Cup”.The tournament tookplace from June 26 - 28 of June for boys and girls 

in categories: U16, U15, U14, U13 for boys and U16, U14for girls. In total of 65 teams for boys and 20 teams for 

girls.When the event began in 2016 there were only 25 teams(20 for boys and 5 for girls)and in 2017 there were 

66 teams(44 boys and 22 girls).Each team had maximum of 20 players (all of them have been reported to the local 

police departments as prescribed by their law).Security team was all over the place of the event with very discreet 

presence. Medical staff was present in every hall in case of emergency or to treat minor injuries.In case of an 

injury that requires hospitalization, the participants were responsible themselves for the costs of the treatment or 

hospitalization charges (“New Belgrade Summer Cup 26 -28 June 2018”).    

The athletes (boys and girls) were coming with at least one coach, one official escort from the team and many 

parents. The parents’ couldn’t be counted because they lived in other places than the indicated accommodation 

of the event. Hosted teams from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Israel, Greece, Hungary 

and Slovenia were participated at this Summer Cup. They all had the possibility and the chance to win the trophy 

(“New Belgrade Summer Cup 26 -28 June 2018”). 

4. Sports Tourism  

Sport is an important activity in tourism and tourism is a fundamental feature of sport. This may mean that sport 

and tourism sometimes have an interrelated relationship (Hinch&Higham, 2001). Athletic tourism can be defined 

in many different ways, but most of its definitions are largely determined by the society in which it is formulated 

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(Epitropoulos, 2002). There is a wide spread opinion that sport events can act as a catalyst for economic 

development and urban regeneration (Wilson, 2006).   

Gibson (1998) divides sports tourism into three major categories. The first category includes watching a sporting 

event. The second refers to the tourists visit to a particular sports monument. Finally, the third category involves 

active participation. Thus, athletic tourism is characterized as an integrated tourist experience where sports are at 

the center of the process. Sports tourism is therefore considered to be recreational-oriented travel that leads people 

to temporarily move away from their permanent residence to engage in physical activities or just watch them.  It 

seems clearly that the athletic event must satisfyin total such the athletes as and the audience.  

In the last decade interest in sports tourism has increased significantly, both in the sports industry and in the 

tourism industry (Standeven, & De Knop, 1999). Sports Tourism is one of the world's fastest-growing special 

forms of tourism, which can contribute to the economic development not only of local communities and cities but 

also and to states (Coghlan& Filo, 2013; Dwyer et al., 2000, Gibson, 2002). Athletic tourism is an economic, 

social and cultural phenomenon created by the unique interaction of activity, people and location (Bull & Weed, 

2012). Sports events are one of the fastest growing forms of athletic tourism, both internationally and also in 

Serbia. In particular, sports tourism can have multiple economic, social and environmental benefits (Coghlan & 

Filo, 2013; Gibson, 2002).   

It can enhance the tourist visibility of a country, while at the same time it can contribute to the development of 

Alternative Forms of Tourism. By involving the local community in the organization, it contributes to the 

development of the region thus bringing many economic benefits to the local community. It is recognized that the 

sports-mega events are significant consequences for the host cities, and great media coverage that they will attract 

(Horne, 2007). In a recent study that examines the impact of sport in both neighbor countries Croatia and Serbia 

found out that sport plays a very important role at various levels in both societies. It seems after all that Serbiahas 

a very important role and a good tradition in several sports and athletes (Simic-Banovic, Jurcic&Petronijevic, 

2017).  

5. The Present Study 

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the success of the event as far as the athletic track is concerned, as 

well as the recreational and tourism impact it has left on athletes and mission escorts. The aim was to evaluate 

the “New Belgrade Summer Cup” which took place in 2018 in Belgrade. The coaches, the parents and the escorts 

of the missions were asked if they have been satisfied with the benefits of the stadiums, of the games, of the hotels 

and generally of the whole event. It was examined the generally impression that Belgrade has left to them and 

whether a positive image of the city was created abroad. The present study also examined the impact of service 

quality on the image of a city, namely Belgrade and the economic impact of the organization on the city.  

6. Method 

The sample of the survey was eighty seven (N = 87) coaches, parents and escorts of the missions that they took 

part in the tournament. Questionnaires responded anonymously and collected at the end of the tournament and 

evaluated the organization's services, the image taken of the Belgrade and the money they spent while staying in 

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the city. The questionnaire was an adaptation from the Tzetzis, Alexandris & Kapsampeli (2014) small-scale 

service quality survey questionnaire.  

7. Results   

From the results it is showed that the majority of the people who responded the questionnaire was men (72.4%). 

The respondents were from 20 to 70 years old and the mean of the age was 40.8.The results of the research have 

shown that coaches, parents and escorts of the missions that they took part in the tournament, have been generally 

satisfied by the organization. Accessibility for the stadiums of the tournament satisfied the 79.3% of the 

respondentsand 85.1% for the hotels. Also the transportationswere easy for78.1% of the people.More specifically 

Table 1 shows the accessibility in general.  

 Table1. Accessibility  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly 

Agree   

  

5   

Accessibility   %   %   %   %   %   

The stadiums of the tournament were easily 

accessible   

3.4   6.9   10.3   48.3   31   

Transportations  to the stadium were easy   8   6.9   6.9   44.8   33.3   

The Hotel that I stayed was easily accessible     4.6   10.3   41.4   43.7   

  

Also, 89.7% of respondents considered the staff friendly and 90.8% polite and knowledgeable. In particular  Table 

2 shows the responses of coaches, parents and escorts about the personnel.  

Table2. Personnel  

Parameter   Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly 

Agree  5   

Personnel   %   %   %   %   %   

The Personnel of the tournament was polite     2.3   6.9   35.6   55.2   

The Personnel of the tournament was knowledgeable     3.4   5.7   44.8   46   

The Personnel of the tournament was friendly   1.1   2.3   6.9   36.8   52.9   

Still the condition of the stadiums seemed that satisfied the 86.5% of the respondents.Table 3 shows the answers 

for the stadiums. 

Table 3. Stadium  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly 

Agree   

  

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5   

Stadium   %   %   %   %   %   

The stadiums were in good 

condition   

1.1   3.4   6.9   42.5   46   

The stadiums were  good   1.1   3.4   6.9   48.3   40.2   

The stadiums were easy to use   1.1   2.3   13.8   44.8   37.9   

  

As far as social activities are concerned, the majority was satisfied, since 74.7% found them interesting, and  

73.6% well organized and entertaining. Table 4 shows the responses about the socials.  

Table 4. Socials  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly 

Agree   

  

5   

Socials   %   %   %   %   %   

The socials / associative activities were interesting   2.3   3.4   19.5   46   28.7   

The socials / associative activities were well 

organized   

2.3   2.3   21.9   41.4   32.2   

The social / associative activities were fun   2.3   3.4   20.7   48.3   25.3   

  

Furthermore the feedback that we took from the sample of the study as regards the competition was recording as 

it seems in table 5.  

Table 5. Competition  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly 

Agree   

  

5   

Competition   %   %   %   %   %   

The  teams were strong   1.2   1.2   14.1`   45.9   37.6   

The games were competitive   1.2   4.7   5.9   52.9   35.3   

The competition of tournament 

was in a good level   
1.2   1.2   4.7   50.6   42.4   

  

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The sample of the study was also generally very satisfied of the tournament in a percentage of 84.8%.  In the 

Table 6 you can see specified the satisfaction of the attenders of the tournament.  

Table 6. Tournament  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly  

Agree   

5   

Tournament   %   %   %   %   %   

The tournament was well scheduled     5.9   8.2   37.6   48.2   

The schedule was kept     2.4   10.6   40   47.1   

The schedule run smoothly   2.4     5.9   48.2   43.5   

The tournament was Fun   1.2     7.1   42.4   49.4   

The tournament was Interesting   1.2   1.2   8.2   38.8   50.6   

The tournament was Relaxing   1.2   2.4   17.6   42.4   36.5   

The tournament gave me the chance to 

socialize   
1.2   2.4   12.9   49.4   34.1   

As regarding the satisfaction totally 89.4% were satisfied with their decision to attend this sport event, because 

89.5% believe that was a good tournament and finally 90.6% have the intention to come again in Belgrade in the 

future if a tournament like that takes place again.   

Table 7. Satisfaction  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly  

Agree   

5   

Satisfaction   %   %   %   %   %   

In totally I am satisfied with my decision to attend the 

tournament   
1.2   2.4   7.1`   36.5   52.9   

In Total it was a good Tournament     2.4   8.2   42.4   47.1   

I would attend such a tournament if it takes places in Belgrade 

again in the future.   
1.2   2.4   5.9   44.7   45.9   

  

Also, the majority of respondents, 78.1%, were satisfied of the hotels as they found them clean, modern, with 

good services and facilities. In Table 8 seems the satisfaction of the sample and its preference about the hotels.   

Table 8. Hotels  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly  

Agree   

5   

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Hotels   %   %   %   %   %   

My Hotel was Clean     7   9.9   43.7   39.4   

My Hotel was Modern   2.8   2.8   21.1   35.2   38   

My Hotel had good Services     1.4   19.7   36.6   42.3   

My Hotel had good Facilities     5.6   16.9   35.2   42.3   

Moreover the hotel staff seemed to have gained the impression since 84.5% said it was friendly, 83.1% polite and 

85.9% helpful. Table 9 shows the choices of the coaches, parents and escorts about the personnel of the hotels.   

Table 9. The Personnel of the Hotels 

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly  

Agree   

5   

The Personnel of the Hotels   %   %   %   %   %   

The Personnel of my Hotel was helpful     2.8   11.3   33.8   52.1   

The Personnel of my hotel was polite   1.4   2.8   12.7   25.4   57.7   

The Personnel of my hotel was friendly     4.2   11.3   31   53.5   

  

The cost of living, in general, buying, staying,food and having fun seem cheap to the sample, as 84.6% of them 

seemed to be economical. In Table 10 seem the responses about the cost.  

 Table 10. Cost  

  

Parameter   

Strongly   

Disagree  

1   

Disagree   

  

2   

Neutral   

  

3   

Agree   

  

4   

Strongly  

Agree   

5   

Cost   %   %   %   %   %   

The cost of shopping in Belgrade was 

affordable   

  1.3   21.8   41   35.9   

The cost of Hotel was affordable     1.3   11.5   56.4   30.8   

The cost of entertaining in the city was 

affordable   

  1.3   11.5   48.7   38.5   

The cost of Eating in the city was affordable     1.3   11.5   39.7   47.4   

The amenities of the city of Belgrade seemed that satisfied parents, escorts and coaches as 84.5% were satisfied 

by the city restaurants, 82.1% by city tourist information and 79.7% found that the entertaining opportunities were 

various. However, it is important that 87.4% felt safety in the city, 83.7% believe that Belgrade is a city with 

strong culture and 89.9% with friendly people. After all the majority of parents and escorts, as well as coaches 

had a positive impact and a good image of the city of Belgrade with a percentage of 87.3%.   

  

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In conclusion 90.3% of the coaches of the teams, parents of the kids and escorts of the missions, will visit the city 

of Belgrade again and 92.7% will attend the tournament iforganized again. The majority of the respondents 91.5% 

will encourage their friends to visit Belgrade and also a percentage of 90.2% will say good things about the city 

of Belgrade. After all, the participants had left a good amount of money at Belgrade, as the survey had shown.    

8. Discussion  

The survey conducted in the majority of coaches, parents and escorts of the missions, and showed some very 

interesting facts, both for their satisfaction with the organization and for the services. It also showed the overall 

image of the city of Belgrade. This research seems to have been a successful athletic event, which left the majority 

of coaches, parents and escortsfrom foreign countries very satisfied. The level of the tournament was very high 

and the competition was really good. 

The facilities and the fields were in good condition and all the hotels seems that have satisfactory amenities. 

People with their friendliness and courtesy both in the organization and in the hotels seemed to have won the best 

impressions. The current survey showed that the majority ofcoaches as parents and escorts of the missions were 

very satisfied in all sectors of the tournament.  

Finally the event succeeds in promoting the city very well to the participants, who had a very positive opinion 

about the city of Belgrade. This is very important for the cities. Cities are increasingly using cultural events in 

many ways so to improve their image. It is important for their development to attract visitors and investment 

(Richards & Wilson, 2004). This is not something new, because cities always want to increase their economies, 

so in that way they have long used many events such as sporting events (Getz, 1991). Recent studies of city and 

tourism marketing have pointed that the use of events has been very successful to promote places and major cities 

in particular (Robertson and Guerrier, 1998; Schuster, 2001; Waitt, 2003).Therefore, sports events should not 

focus only on the sporting event but also on the best promotion and advertising of the host city. 

9. Conclusion  

Athletic tourism clearly focuses on the type, the quality and the proper organization of a sporting event. But 

besides the main product that is the sporting event, it is the supporter, which is the satisfaction of athletes and of 

all participants from the image of the city and of the social events. In conclusion, the current survey showed that 

this specific tournament was very successful in all terms of the sporting element, which welcomed participants 

from foreign countries.  

It seems clearly that was also a very good advertising of Belgrade, which made happy the people whovisited it. It 

also appeared that social activities satisfy the participants, which may affect them positive in their future 

involvement. That means that the people who joined this tournament, they will be happy to join again or visit 

again the city of Belgrade. Athletic events should therefore not only focus on the sporting event, but also on social 

activities, as well as on a better promotion and advertising of the city and the country in general.   

References   

Backx, F. J., Beijer, H. J., Bol, E., & Erich, W. B. (1991). Injuries in high-risk persons and high-risk sports: a 

longitudinal study of 1818 school children. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 19(2), 124-130.  

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