People have taken to social media to attack Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles, who wants to "start a conversation" about Aboriginal custodians of Uluru dropping their opposition to tourists climbing the monolith.

Key points: NT Chief Minister Adam Giles says climbing Uluru makes as much sense as live cattle export ban

NT Chief Minister Adam Giles says climbing Uluru makes as much sense as live cattle export ban Facebook, Twitter users attack Chief Minister's views

Facebook, Twitter users attack Chief Minister's views Tour guides reject claims visitor numbers would drop if climb was banned

In Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Giles said he could see the benefits of allowing people to climb Uluru, which he compared favourably to the Eiffel Tower or the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

A Federal Government management plan for Uluru in 2010 said the climb will be permanently closed when adequate new visitor experiences were established, the proportion of visitors falls below 20 per cent, or when the cultural and natural experiences at Uluru are the critical factors when visitors decide to go there.

The Nguraritja and Anangu people of the area have requested people not to climb Uluru, but Mr Giles viewed things differently.

"A snap ban [on climbing Uluru] by Canberra makes about as much sense as the Labor government of the time's kneejerk ban on live cattle exports," Mr Giles said.

"And it could do almost as much damage."

Facebook, Twitter users reject Chief Minister's views

But on the ABC's Facebook page people overwhelmingly rejected Mr Giles' comments.

Former Uluru tour guide Trevor Leaman said that because it was a long walk to the top and there were no toilets, people relieved themselves on the sacred site.

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"What happens when it rains? It washes down the side of the rock and into the waterholes at the bottom," he said.

"No need to climb it ... It is amazing just to be there and feel the ground and touch the energy," said Carmel Hutt in another post.

On Twitter people using the #uluru hashtag vented.

"I'd like to climb Adam Giles' house, see the view from his roof, take some selfies in his kitchen," said one post.

Tour guides say climb ban would not hurt tourist numbers

Meanwhile The Rock Tour, a company that takes tourists to Uluru from Alice Springs, rejected any suggestion that stopping the climb would deter tourists from visiting the drawcard.

"Mr Giles probably needs to do some more research into the closure of the climb before making such suggestions," said company director Jo George.

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"The alternative answer could be that by closing it and getting tour guides/companies to learn the Aboriginal stories about it may actually increase visitation."

Mr Leaman said that after working as a tour guide at Uluru for different companies in 2008 and 2009 he also did not think a ban on climbing the rock would have deterred tourists.

Last year after someone cut the climbing chain on Uluru senior Aboriginal people publicly praised the move.

"He [the man who cut the chain] is actually a hero if you ask me," said Keith Aitken, an Aboriginal elder from the Mutijulu community, at the time.

Director at the Central Land Council David Ross also praised the decision to cut the chain, and said it would bring attention to the climb.

But some on social media did back Mr Giles' views.

"The locals do not 'traditionally' oppose the practice, this opposition has been formented by leftie idiots who claim to be experts on Aboriginal practices," said one post.

"I respect the elders position on this, but feel that people who do climb the 'Rock', do have a huge level of reverence and respect and furthermore feel this just adds more to the spectre of Uluru and its place in the great Australian landscape," said another.