District of Peje

The District of Peje demonstrates ecosystem service provision, where natural capital generates economic returns through tourism rather than extraction. Positioned at the gateway to the Accursed Mountains (Albanian Alps), Peje has developed specialized infrastructure for outdoor recreation, cultural tourism, and pilgrimage (the Patriarchate of Peć represents Serbian Orthodox heritage). The district exemplifies how regions with high natural amenity value can develop service economies around preserved rather than exploited landscapes.

Peje's economy reflects refuge habitat dynamics. With 116 businesses exceeding €1 million in revenue, the district maintains modest commercial activity while its primary value proposition derives from providing escape from urbanized Kosovo. The €15 million Pristina-Pejë highway expansion investment will increase accessibility, potentially intensifying visitor flows while also enabling more residents to commute to Pristina—creating population dynamics where the district serves recreational and residential functions for the capital's workforce.

The district's agricultural sector demonstrates altitude zonation patterns. From the fertile Dukagjin Plain to mountain pastures, Peje supports diverse production systems stratified by elevation. This vertical niche diversity creates resilience—when one zone faces adverse conditions, others may compensate. The combination of tourism, agriculture, and increasing connectivity positions Peje as Kosovo's recreational hinterland rather than an autonomous economic center.