Chatting About Uluru, Responsible Travel & Overtourism on CNA

Check-in Asia’s Gary Bowerman was invited onto the Singapore-based Channel News Asia’s evening news show to discuss key tourism issues.

When Australia announced that tourists would no longer be permitted to climb Uluru in the country’s scenic ‘Red Centre’ – which is a site of deep spiritual and cultural significance to indigenous peoples – CNA (Channel News Asia) called Check-in Asia to discuss the issue live on air.

In a broad-ranging interview, Gary addressed why the ban is not a sudden move, but has been tabled for several years. He also discussed why the cultural sensitivities of local people must be taken into account as Asia’s travel and tourism boom plays an ever more dominant economic role.

Is Responsible Tourism too much to ask? … Can we avoid Unthinking Tourism?…

“We are living in an era of mass tourism, and a word you often here is Overtourism. So, while I think there is a movement towards people trying to understand from a local perspective the cultural and historic significance of a destination in order to make more of the travel experience, it’s easy for us all to forget the responsibilities that we have when we visit other people’s places.”

Does the shift from Group Travel to Independent Travel make managing tourism even more difficult?

“Cities are really struggling to deal with the demand from visitors, especially at peak periods – although even these key periods are shifting. Whether travelling independently or in groups, there are a lot of people travelling to the most popular places. Somehow managing the level of demand will be the biggest issue in tourism over the next five years.”

The full CNA piece, including the interview, can be viewed here: Crowds rush to Australia’s iconic Uluru rock on eve of climbing ban

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