Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Beginning in 2018, the government of the special autonomous province of Yogyakarta will be more serious in developing the tourism sector in the southern part of the region to reduce disparities and poverty gaps.

The development of tourist destinations in the southern region of Yogyakarta will begin with physical improvements, as well as tourism human resources with the district governments of Bantul, Gunung Kidul, and Kulon Progo.

Yogyakarta, which boasts rich history and culture, and has several tourist attractions, continues to intensify its efforts to develop and promote its tourism sector.

Yogyakarta is one of the leading cultural centers in Java and is blessed with many beautiful villages, which are being developed and promoted to attract as many tourists as possible.

Every district in Yogyakarta has numerous numerous beautiful areas that can be developed into tourist tourist spots to attract as many tourists as possible.

According to local Tourism Office Chief Aris Riyanta, the development of tourist destinations scattered in the southern region of Yogyakarta is in accordance with the vision of Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X.

"In 2018 we will have to start the vision of Governor Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X by further developing the tourism destinations to the south," Riyanta has said in Yogyakarta.

Tourist destinations that spread along 113 kilometers in the southern region of Yogyakarta have enormous potential to attract many tourist visits.

Almost the majority of beautiful, clean, and white sandy beaches in Yogyarkata are located in Gunung Kidul district, and this potential is believed to be even greater if the South Cross Road project through the district is completed in 2018.

Currently, Yogyakarta has actually become the largest tourist destination in Indonesia after Bali, and therefore, the local is focusing on tourist visits.

The local government and all parties must work together to develop the attractions and entertainments that can make tourists stay longer in Yogyakarta, especially in Gunung Kidul.

The district of Gunung Kidul is endowed with many beautiful beaches such as Kukup, Indrayanti, Wedi Ombo, Watu Kodok, Sadranan, Jogan and Siung, and most of these beaches still require large investments both from the government for infrastructure as well as from the private sector for the development of hotels, resorts, golf courses and restaurants.

In light of this, the Gunung Kidul district government is making efforts to promote and develop the districts tourist spots under the framework of its tourism investment development mission.

The mission is focused on natural tourism, village tourism, cultural tourism and special-interest tourism.

In addition, the local government will also step up efforts to provide improved infrastructure facilities at tourist attractions in the district.

The local government has built and renovated various supporting infrastructure facilities such as souvenir shops and restaurants.

In addition to beautiful beaches, Gunung Kidul also has some popular tourism villages such as Putat, Nglanggeran, Bendung, Ngeposari, Beji, Bleberan, Umbulrejo and Kemadang.

In a bid to develop these tourism villages, officials from the Gunung Kidul Culture and Tourism office will provide English training and tourism management training lessons to the villagers.

As one of the leading cultural centers in the Indonesian island of Java, Yogyakarta is blessed with many beautiful villages in every district that need continuous promotion.

In an effort to attract more local and foreign tourists, the regional and provincial governments continue to develop and promote the tourism villages.

Every district in Yogyakarta has a number of tourist villages with huge potential to become a new tourist destination, especially for tourists with special interest, whose number has increased over time.

Many foreign tourists with special interest do not just want to visit the tourism villages, but they also want to feel and experience firsthand the existing cultures and traditions, because of their admiration for unique, specific and authentic materials.

In the city of Yogyakarta alone, tourism villages that have been well-developed are the villages of Dipowinatan, Cokrodiningratan and Purbayan, which continue to attract both local and foreign tourists.

Another one is Kembangarum village, where tourists can learn about the traditional Javanese music instrument of gamelan.

In addition, the village management also offers batik and painting courses to the tourists, who can later take home the art work, which they created during the course.

Environmental education is also offered to the visitors as part of efforts to make them feel at home, as they gain new experiences and everlasting memories.

The tourists visiting the Kembangarum tourism village will be given information and a demonstration on how to plow fields, plant rice saplings, and ways to manage aquaculture.

The tourists are guided by the local farmers as they gain new and memorable experiences while they join the farmers in plowing fields, planting rice saplings, and learning ways of managing the aquaculture, which are part of the tourist village management concept.

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(T.O001/A/KR-BSR/A014)

Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018