https://greenways.ba

The Visitor Center Pecka is located in the village of Pecka, municipality of Mrkonjić Grad, in the heart of the Krajina nature where the river Sana springs. It was opened in 2015 as an initiative of the Greenways Association, with the aim of revitalizing the neglected village and creating new value through sustainable tourism, nature conservation, and rural economy development.

The Center is housed in a renovated elementary school building constructed in 1931. Once empty and abandoned, today it has been transformed into a modern and lively hub for tourists, volunteers, and the local community. In its first years it functioned as a hostel, and later a settlement with 11 mobile homes and a campsite was built nearby, while five rural households across the village were arranged and opened for visitors.

Pecka is now recognized as one of the most significant natural climbing areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with more than 120 climbing routes of varying difficulty. The Visitor Center provides support to climbers and guests, but the development of the climbing site itself is led and maintained by the climbing community. In addition to climbing, the Center offers cycling and hiking tours, excursions to the source of the Sana river, educational programs for schools and volunteers, as well as team-building programs for companies and outdoor schools. Among the newer activities are the BioAwaking program and the Cinema Parallels film festival. Each year, Pecka is visited by between 14,000 and 15,000 people, with the central event being the Pecka Outdoor Festival, which gathers nature, sports, and ecology enthusiasts from across Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider region.

Thanks to the development of the Visitor Center, more than 80 houses in the village have been renovated, road infrastructure has been improved, the springs of the Sana river have been protected as a Natural Monument, and Pecka has been declared one of the 14 most beautiful villages in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Alterrural Association initiative. The Center has become a catalyst for the development of the entire area.

Circular economy principles applied by the Visitor Center Pecka:
– Energy self-sufficiency – through the “Solar Pecka” crowdfunding campaign, solar panels were installed to generate electricity for the Center’s needs; the goal is to cover 100% of energy needs from renewable sources.
– Support for local production – visitors are offered local products (cheese, honey, brandy, juices, handicrafts) exclusively from local producers.
– Short supply chains – no intermediaries; local producers sell their products directly through the Center.
– Restoration and preservation of resources – the old school was repurposed and renovated, giving new life to an abandoned building.
– Education and events – through festivals, workshops, and new programs, awareness is raised about ecology and the opportunities the village provides.
– Volunteering and community involvement – young people, volunteers, and residents actively participate in the work of the Center and the development of new activities. The Visitor Center Pecka is an example of how a combination of local initiative, sustainable tourism, and circular economy can transform a village and create new value, not only for the local community but also for the entire region.