On July 5th 2026, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa organised and implemented the testing of the pilot project “Journey through the Hidden Valley” in the pilot location of Zgorigrad village, within the project “People Powered Tourism: Creating Sustainable Models to Support the Local Economy (People Powered Tourism – PPT)”, funded by the Interreg Danube Region Programme (DRP) 2021–2027.
The testing aimed to collect feedback from visitors on what they liked about the pilot project, what could be improved, and how they evaluated the overall experience. Participants followed a route that included a hike along the “Borov Kamak” eco-trail to the waterfall of the same name, a culinary demonstration in Zgorigrad village, and a practical workshop in the newly established “Garden of the World”, created as part of the project activities.
During the hike to the “Borov Kamak” waterfall, participants learned from the guide, engaged by CCI Vratsa, more about the route, the local biodiversity, and the significance of the waterfall and the eco-trail.
“Journey through the Hidden Valley” continued in the centre of the village, where local residents and representatives of the “Probuda 1926” Community Centre and the “Romantika” Pensioners’ Club had prepared a culinary demonstration for all participants. Visitors had the opportunity to experience traditional Zgorigrad-style lyutika, prepared in an authentic way, learn more about the local cuisine and try out the recipes.
The programme concluded in the “Garden of the World”, where each participant planted a flower. The initiative is linked to one of the main ideas of the project – tourism destinations should be developed in a way that enables visitors to leave a positive trace behind.
The partnership includes 14 organisations from 10 countries in Central and South-Eastern Europe and is led by the Municipality of Szeged, Hungary. The project addresses contemporary challenges in tourism by introducing a “visitor economy” model — an economy that places visitors and local communities at the centre of development. This approach turns people into the main driver of sustainable development, highlighting the importance of human relationships, local identities and personalised experiences that bring added value to the local economy.
