Between a rock and a hard place: Gazing upon Uluru

Abstract

The recent closure of the Uluru climb marked a pivotal moment in Australia's tourism history. Uluru in the Northern Territory has long been a contested symbolic tourist site subject to competing narratives of its significance as a tourist icon and Aboriginal cultural landscape. This study examines tourist responses to the climb closure through a netnographic analysis of TripAdvsior content. The findings uncover enduring tensions in tourist perceptions and behaviours in relation to the climb closure. This research highlights the dynamic nature of the tourist gaze upon contested sites, such as Uluru. We conclude that despite ongoing contestation, the climb closure signifies broader societal shift towards respecting Aboriginal perspectives in tourism decision-making.

Keywords

• Contested sites
• Uluru
• Tourist gaze
• Indigenous tourism
• Netnography