BANJARMASIN, South Kalimantan: Banjarmasin considered as unique because it has 102 rivers. The Ministry of Public Works intends to make the city as river tourism like City of Venice in Italy, Antaranews reported.
Head of the local Development Planning Agency (Bappeko) Fajar Desira here on Saturday said, to realize the city as a famous tourism city like Venice, the Ministry of Public Works formed a team deployed to Banjarmasin.
The team has three times reviewing two locations here, namely Kelayan River at Jalan Kelayan and Kerokan River at Jalan Jafri Zamzam to be converted into river tourist sites through a program called Kemitraan Habitat.
According to Fajar, Banjarmasin should be grateful selected to be the location of the Kemitraan Habitat program, since this region is considered unique. Other cities also opted in program directed by the Ministry of Public Works, are the city of Malang, East Java, and Bogor, West Java, because both cities are also considered to have unique characteristics.
Given Banjarmasin has many rivers, the city will be created actually be a river city in Indonesia, thereby clear the direction of development of this city, so all must be committed to build the city into a city of river tourism.
River not only as the location of drainage and drinking water sources, but also as transportation, communication, and as the object of the public economy, especially tourism, said Fajar.
In an effort to create a Kemitraan Habitat program, the government will invite a lot of people, including businessmen, environmentalists, non-governmental organizations, as well as many other organizations that are committed to make this city as an icon of the river in the country.