ASSESSING GEOTOURISM POTENTIALS OF KOTO PANJANG HYDROELECTRIC RESERVOIR, KAMPAR REGENCY, RIAU, INDONESIA
Koto Panjang hydroelectric reservoir is a prime locality for the study which aims to assess the potentials of the reservoir as a tourist destination as well as to classify it as the (geo)tourism place. The research method is qualitative descriptive with data collection was taken from observation and interviews. The description, interpretation, and evaluation of the important geological heritages indicated that the geotourism is potential of the region. The results of this study showed that the reservoir as a geotourism destination needs to be more focused on scenic tourism which is an important factor in the successful development of the tourism area. The results are intended to justify a remarkable tool for elevating and boosting awareness of the geological heritage of the Koto Panjang hydroelectric reservoir. Optimization of utilization can be based on assessment because it plays an important role in the development of the reservoir. In an effort to increase this optimization, it is necessary to follow-up the assessment.
Keywords: Tourism destinations, optimization of reservoir utilization, regional development, Koto Panjang reservoir, reservoir tourism
