Big ideas welcome for Uluru tourism

Tourist numbers are growing at Uluru and traditional owners are keen to partner with entrepreneurs to keep them coming, in an environmentally sustainable and culturally sensitive way.

On Thursday the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks Board of Management announced that one of Australia’s most famous sites is open to boosting business, and is seeking expressions of interest for new ventures.

“Uluru means many things to many different people,” said Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment Bob Baldwin.

“To our tourists who come, initially it’s to see the largest rock in the world, and then once they come to sunrise, sunset, that magical moment, it takes on a whole other persona.

“Obviously it has a significant cultural aspect for the local indigenous population, and when we develop big ideas it must be overseen by the local Aboriginal land council board of management and the department of the environment to make sure we don’t do anything wrong with the environment here.”

The scope for potential projects is very broad; anything from accommodation to day-trips, infrastructure to restaurants and cafes, with the board reluctant to outline specifics.

“It’s not open slather but it’s open to ideas,” said Sally Barnes, Director of National Parks.

Tourism numbers have been on a steady downward trend since the spike created by the Sydney Olympics which saw about 400,000 annual visitors to the park, flattening to about 250,000 in 2012 but now showing signs of revival.

In 2014, 279,000 people from Australia and overseas visited Uluru, marking a 2 per cent increase in visitors and a 34 per cent increase in their total spend, bringing it to $365 million.

Ms Barnes said the upswing indicated the time was ripe for investment, and creating long-term jobs for the local Anangu people is a key priority.

“This place has very important culture for us, it has great significance, and the more people understand about that the more they can respect and help us protect its values as well as the environmental values of the wildlife here,” said chairman Sammy Wilson via an interpreter.

“We see this about being able to help future generations with work.”

Applications are open until September 30 via eoi.uluru.gov.au.

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