Abstract

Currently ecotourism in protected areas has received much consideration, particularly in developing nations. Tourism is a major contributor to garbage production. Narran and Saif-Ul-Malook National Parks (SMNP), tourism is their main source of income for the local residents. Approximately 90% of visitors to the Kaghan/Narran Valley come to the lake located in the SMNP, which has become a popular destination for tourists and is the most frequented location in the National Park. In the last five years, the months of June through August have seen the highest number of visitors (1162266–1072069) in this area. The current study found that, between 2015 and 2017, there was a steady increase in the number of visitors visiting the SMNP. Problems with solid waste management arise when tourism grows, making it difficult to handle solid waste in mountainous regions like SMNP with a large tourist concentration.  In the SMNP, a questionnaire survey was carried out between June and October of 2018. There were 296 tourists in all; 56.4% of them were men and 43.6% were women. According to the questionnaire survey, 33.1% of visitors agreed that the SMNP's environmental quality is significantly worse than it was in previous years, 72.6% agreed that solid waste is a major problem currently affecting the SMNP, 46.6% wanted to recycle solid waste, and 43.6% were willing to pay more than Rs. 100 for waste management. In both seasons, the remaining garbage from visitors and local hotels and restaurants comprises 37.5% packaging material, 30.7% plastic (bottles and bags), and 19.6% paper waste. The fragile ecology of the SMNP is under threat due to poor waste management and an annual rise in visitor traffic. In addition to degrading the land and aquatic ecosystems in the SMNP, the increasing amount of trash and solid waste produced by tourists, local businesses, and hotel owners puts human, marine, and wildlife health at serious risk.