z Nisa - Institute of Geographical Information Systems (IGIS), NUST, H-۱۲, Islamabad, Pakistan Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Allama Iqbal Open University AIOU, H-۸/۲, Islamabad,Pakistan

Northern areas of Pakistan have blessed with extremely beautiful natural landscapes, waterfalls, glaciatedmountains, biodiversity rich valleys and forests and have extraordinary potential for ecotourism. Study is designed topropose potential sites for ecotourism in Kohistan, which is a least developed but biodiversity rich area of Pakistan.Poor planning and mismanagement of tourism practices have already disturbed the ecosystems of these highlands; thereis a need to involve the local community in environmental conservation practices. As ecotourism has the potential toprovide various new means of income for local people. Geographic Information System serves as a decision support toolin finding suitable locations for ecotourism by taking multiple factors into account and helps in devising strategy byproviding ecotourism potential sites map in return. Same approach has been applied in the study with use of remotesensing and Geographic Information System based hybrid techniques. Thematic layers from classified image are overlaidwith slope, elevation, soil, and vegetation density layers. Multiple criteria based decision is made from weighted overlayanalysis which has given potential sites map. These potential sites can be appropriate places for trekking, skiing, whitewater rafting, sailing, mountain resorts, forest reserves and sports related activities. It is expected that implementingecotourism in Kohistan will bring positive change in their economic life and it will be equally beneficial for tourismindustry of Pakistan.

Ecotourism model; Geographic Information System (GIS); Minimum distance classifier; Vegetation density; Weighted overlay