Dallas - While Slovenian basketball star Luka Dončić skipped Saturday's fixture against the Sacramento Kings in the NBA, Dallas Mavericks fans still got a Slovenian night in the form of a special campaign promoting Slovenia as a tourist destination.

The event was branded across all channels as an I Feel Slovenia Night, the logo was displayed on all screens in the arena, and there was a stand in front of the arena with promotional materials as well as I Feel Slovenia fan merchandise.

During the half time break, there was a performance by the Slovenian acrobatic troupe Dunking Devils and a quiz about Slovenia. Short promotional films were also screened showcasing the country's natural beauties, the Slovenian Tourist Board said.

The night before, the club put on a charity gala that culminated with the auction of a small bottle containing wine from the world's oldest vine in the city of Maribor, which fetched 20,000 dollars, according to Tourism Maribor.

The Slovenian Tourist Board said that Slovenia was becoming an increasingly popular destination for US tourists, to a certain extent due to Dončić's popularity.