Kotabaru's Mount Meranti attraction get ready to welcome domestic tourists

Kotabaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - The Mount Meranti tourism management in Kotabaru District, South Kalimantan, is getting ready to welcome the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists.

"Recently, the number of visits, especially from local tourists, has risen sharply, following the improvement of facilities and infrastructure in Mount Meranti attraction," said the coordinator of tourism management Kholil in Kotabaru, Monday.

Not only tourists are attracted by the natural beauty of the mountainous area of Meranti, but universities and schools as well for doing research.

The white meranti wood plants which cover an area of 8.3 hectares have become the potential to be researched.

While others will enjoy the facilities such as an animal house, house of various birds, a beautiful places to rest, a gazebo, a meeting place at the top of the mountain, a zoo, a place to stay overnight with hotel facilities, and other facilities.

Besides Mount Meranti, a number of other tourist attractions in Kotabaru are also starting to be visited by domestic tourists, including Gedambaan Beach or Sarangtiung Beach.

Previously, Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the Kotabaru DPRD Gewsima Mega Putra said that the Tourism, Youth, and Sports Agency has made a proposal of investment to investors.

"However, until now, none of the investors have answered," he said.

Several investment patterns are offered by the Kotabaru government in tourism management cooperation. "There should be an investor who is interested first, then we talk about the management for mutual agreement," he said.

Head of the Kotabaru Tourism, Youth, and Sports AgencyKhairian said that Sarang Tiung should become a reliable source of income.

"Sarang Tiung attraction with an area of about nine hectares, only the beachside has been managed, while the shoreline towards the mountain has not," he said.

Khairian target to be able to follow the footsteps of "Lamongan Maritime Tourism", which has the same geographical condition as Sarang Tiung Beach, Kotabaru.