Uluru, also referred to as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part of the Northern Territory, central Australia. (Wikipedia)
Several resources have already dedicated articles to the news that the Uluru climb might be closed for safety, environment and cultural reasons.
Especially the last two are of importance, not only for Uluru, but also for other well-known tourist sights.
When sights are gaining popularity from a tourist point of view, new challenges originate.
The urge to be part of a special experience in combination with the profitability of the tourist sight/event, creates that there are downsides, as now is exposed about the Uluru.
The Uluru is naturally subject to erosion, add the amount of garbage left behind by the tourists and the ‘desacration’ of murals with grafitti by vandals and the pinnacle is achieved.
Furthermore the Uluru is a sacred place for the Aboriginal tribe, the Mutitjulu which are owners of Uluru since 1985, they want Uluru to be treated with respect.
Sacredness and modern society don’t go well hand in hand which has led ultimately to this action.
The personal experience of tourists often overrule the respect in relation to local uses, morals, values and sacredness, not being able to imagine the point of perspective of the local community.
If sights can add economic value to the community it’s of course great, luckely to some, enough is enough.
Collective responsibility and respect should be cultivated more, the Global Village becomes ’smaller and smaller’, thus encountering and interacting with many more Cultures, humans are not the same, respect must be in place as a minimum requirement, period.
Another example is the holy city of Angkor in Cambodia. We’ve visited the city at the end of 2004.
The stream of tourists of all over the world to this place is massive, which really is an understatement.
During the visit we experienced the disrespect in favour of personal pleasure, this ranged from climbing onto sacred buildings to swindle the local poor community which of course sets all in motion to earn as much money as possible.
Later on, in 2005, an article was published that the tourist’s pressure on Angkor city was getting too much in terms of damage to the buildings.
The consideration between cultural heritage and profitability must be normalized, but is driven in favour of profitability due to the abovementioned reason, a property linked at Second and Third World countries. (see also Plastic World)
The Past, in buildings and in spirit is important to understand.
What sights comes to your mind when reading this? What sights are as well in danger?
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