9th July 2009

Ecotourism Australia supports Traditional Owners on Uluru Climb Ban

Closing Uluru to climbers is well overdue, says Ecotourism Australia.  Traditional Owners have been asking visitors not to climb the site for some time and it’s a positive step for the Uluru - Kata Tjuta Board of Management to take the initiative in drafting a 10 year management plan recommending its closure.

Environmental issues such as erosion, human waste and rubbish have been long-standing problems associated with people climbing Uluru. 

Safety is another factor that needs to be considered with around 35 fatalities recorded from the climb.  Parts of Uluru are steep and slippery and can be quite dangerous for inexperienced climbers.  Rescuers are often subject to personal danger when aiding those that have been injured on the climb.

The draft management plan states that just over one-third of all visitors chose to do the climb and a high percentage of these were children.  The survey also states that 98 percent of travellers would not be deterred from visiting the area if they were not allowed to climb Uluru.

Phil Taylor from Wayoutback Desert Safaris commented that this has been a question they have asked guests for some time.  Approximately 80,000 visitors were surveyed by Wayoutback Desert Safaris and less than 5 percent said they didn’t climb the rock.  Most confirmed that the reason for not climbing Uluru was for cultural reasons.  Phil said that the guests were generally well-educated about the significance of the location and had usually made this decision prior to arriving in Australia.

"Such a change will have to be marketed well to ensure travellers are aware of the reasons behind the closure and implemented with sufficient lead time for tourism businesses to change itineraries and any collateral affected," said Kristie Gray, Acting CEO of Ecotourism Australia.  Broadening other experiences and creating alternative activities will be a key factor in ensuring a balance between the viability of tourism businesses and respect to Nguraritja, the Senior Traditional Owners.

Through education and relevant media representation, it’s likely that the impact of such a closure would be minimal.

The closing date for comment on Parks Australia’s Draft Management Plan closes on the 4th of September 2009.  Comments can be sent to Uluru.Plan@environment.gov.au

Ecotourism Australia is the peak national body for the ecotourism and cultural tourism industry in Australia.  It aims to grow and promote sustainable tourism and to assist tourism operators to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially and culturally responsible. 

It is a non-profit organisation with membership that includes tour operators, ecotourism accommodation, tourism planners, protected area managers, academics and students, regional tourism associations and travellers.

Ecotourism Australia administers the Respecting Our Culture, ECO, Climate Action and EcoGuide Certification Programs.  It provides objective monitoring and auditing of organisations’ certified businesses and provides travel agents and tourists with an assurance of best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality cultural experiences.


ENDS

For more information contact:
Kym Cheatham, Chief Executive Officer,
Ecotourism Australia
E: ceo@ecotourism.org.au M: 0427 279 414
www.ecotourism.org.au
ABN 92 909 103 274

The Ecotourism Australia vision: "To be leaders in assisting ecotourism and other committed tourism operations to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially and culturally responsible".
Ecotourism Australia was formed in 1991 as an incorporated non-profit organisation, and is the peak national body for the ecotourism industry. Ecotourism Australia aims to grow and promote ecotourism and to assist tourism operators to become environmentally sustainable, economically viable and socially and culturally responsible.

Membership includes tour operators, ecotourism accommodation, tourism planners, protected area managers, academics and students, regional tourism associations and travellers.
Ecotourism Australia’s certification program ECO is a world first. It provides objective monitoring and auditing of organisations’ ecotourism claims and provides travel agents and tourists with an assurance of best practice ecological sustainability, natural area management and quality ecotourism experiences.

Ecotourism Australia recently added ROC (Respect Our Culture) Certification for Indigenous Tourism operators and Climate Action Australia Certification to help the tourism industry work towards a more sustainable future.

In 2008, Ecotourism Australia was awarded the prestigious World Travel and Tourism Council “Tourism for Tomorrow” Award for Conservation at the World Tourism Summit in recognition of Ecotourism Australia’s significant contribution to the conservation and preservation of natural heritage.