Tourism operators have been flat out meeting growing demand at Uluru. But questions are being asked about what will be done to keep visitor numbers up once the option to ascend the ancient monolith is axed.

Key points: A climbing ban on Uluru comes into effect on October 26

A climbing ban on Uluru comes into effect on October 26 Tourists are flocking to central Australia to climb the rock before the closure

Tourists are flocking to central Australia to climb the rock before the closure Some are questioning whether tourism numbers will crash after the change

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park management in central Australia said a focus on culture and country could keep people coming in, and has put forward some of its plans to re-define the iconic Australian destination.

Accommodation in the tourist hub of Yulara, just over 440 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs, has been tight since the ban was announced, with some operators describing demand this year as "bat-shit crazy".

The ban on climbing Uluru comes into effect in just four months.

Park manager Mike Misso said they were aware some people were rushing to climb Uluru and visitor numbers may decline after the ban was enforced.

"What we expect is a bit of a blip because this is people coming for their bucket list," Mr Misso said.

But Mr Misso said he remained optimistic about the future.

"That might be people who were going to come in the next three to five years who are coming now. But we still expect numbers to remain high after the climb closure," he said.

Traditional owner Sammy Wilson, who chairs the park's board, agreed.

"Generation after generation will want to visit Uluru," he said.

Mr Wilson — who previously famously declared Uluru was not a theme park "like Disneyland" — said he did not mind that people were rushing to climb before the ban.

However, he said, that after that, he hoped people would respect the wishes of the local Anangu people.

"We're not moving the rock away from visitors to come visit us. It's just this one thing," he said.

An Anangu sign at the base of Uluru asks tourists not to climb the rock. ( ABC News: Caroline Winter )

Focus to shift to culture, nature and history

In order to tackle any decline in visitation, Mr Misso said there would be more focus on culture and history at the park.

He said new ideas were being negotiated with commercial tour operators, and they included ventures between traditional owners and businesses.

"These ideas will provide visitors with fantastic experiences based on culture and nature but also give benefits for traditional owners," Mr Misso said.

Andrew Peters, a senior lecturer in Indigenous tourism at Swinburne University, said the new plans had potential.

"The focus should be less on what I call the selfish experiences of the tourist — walk on this rock, get some photos, take home a souvenir, and what they will get out of it —and more about what the benefit should be to the people who are hosting," he said.

"For me, this is about having visitors behave in a way that fits in with the expectations of traditional owners, not the expectations of mainstream tourism, which is about serving the needs of the visitor, not the needs of the host.

"As tourists, we need to be more aware of our impact and footprint on the places we visit — not just physical but social and cultural.

"Bali is a big example of that, where Australians have been the main culprit in re-shaping and certainly damaging Balinese culture in the way we behave as visitors."

Tourists have been rushing to climb Uluru despite the wishes of traditional owners. ( Terry Trewin: AAP, file photo )

Mr Peters said it was disappointing it took an official ban to stop visitors scaling Uluru.

"From my viewpoint as an academic and an Aboriginal person, seeing people walk on the rock is really offensive seeing as TOs [traditional owners] don't want them walking on it. It's that simple," he said.

"We shouldn't need a rule to stop them doing it. But it's an indication of the mindset of non-Aboriginal people that they need a legal motivation not to do that."

"I think [the climb closure at Uluru] will have some impact, but tourism is quite a resilient industry and I think those who run the park will find ways to generate revenue and give other experiences.

"Once people become more educated about what Uluru is — what it represents — rather than just being a red monolith that changes colour with the Sun. That will add another layer in experiences."

Will climbers go back without it?

When Sydney woman Soraya and her partner visited Uluru just a few weeks ago, they posted photos to social media of its steel climbing chain and them hugging on top of the sandstone monolith.

"Since I was a little girl, I've always wanted to visit Uluru," Soraya said.

"I do have respect for the Aboriginal people. But at the same time I wanted to be able to climb something that's part of Australia. It's just something I wanted to do."

After climbing Uluru last month, Soraya said she gained a new appreciation for other activities available at the site.

"There is a base walk around Uluru and you get to see things you don't get to see when you're climbing it. There was cave paintings and nice little shelters along the rock that you can sit under and take photos from different angles."

She said she would like to go back.

"I will probably visit Uluru in the future regardless of the climb. But having the climb closing is what prompted me to go to Uluru this year."