Rejuvenation of a major Australian destination
Ayers Rock Resort has undergone a complete revitalisation including a A$30 million refurbishment, the introduction of a comprehensive range of free daily Indigenous guest activities, a new premium under the Stars dining experience, a star gazing tour and much more. In addition to this a National Indigenous Training Academy has been established with the first graduates moving into full time employment.
Ayers Rock Resort is the largest integrated resort complex in Australia, consisting of four hotels - Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens, Outback Pioneer & Lodge and Emu Walk Apartments as well as a campground and the iconic and exclusive Longitude 131.
"This total revitalisation of an iconic Australian destination has been lead by the physical renovation, but the heart of the rejuvenation lies in the involvement of far greater numbers of Indigenous Australians at the Resort", said Voyages Executive General Manager Sales and Marketing Ray Stone who is visiting London this week.
"We want to complement the unique nature of the destination with unique services. Our mission goes well beyond attracting tourists to Uluru. We are committed to investing in the development of Indigenous employment and tourism businesses. Our Indigenous employee numbers have grown from just 2 when we took over the Resort in May 2011 to around 170 today and we hope to grow this number further", said Ray.
"Visitors from the UK and Europe place Ayers Rock at the top of their 'wish-list' of destinations, so it is very encouraging to be able to highlight all the positive developments taking place at Uluru. The upgraded accommodation and facilities, the new services and the commitment to offering a truly unique Indigenous experience will make it one of the highlights of any tour to Australia", said Ray.
The refurbishment includes all rooms and public areas at the five star Sails in the Desert Hotel. The hotel interiors have been designed to reflect the uniqueness of the environment with a backdrop of a calm and relaxing design palate and a carpet design that evokes a dried up river bed which cuts across the parched desert landscape.
New guest experiences include the introduction of a luxury 'under the stars' dining experience called Tali Wiru (which translates to 'beautiful dune' in local Anangu language). All guests at the resort also have access to a wide range of complimentary activities including story telling with a local Anangu storyteller, guided garden walks through local native flora, dot painting classes, boomerang or spear throwing lessons, Indigenous didgeridoo and dance performances where audience participation is encouraged and photo opportunities with the performers will ensure that this unique experience is never forgotten.
A new conference centre, named Uluru Meeting Place opened in November 2012 with striking contemporary interiors that reflect the Indigenous heritage of the location, the facilities include a new ballroom that can comfortably seat 420 people but that can also be sub-divided and a second ballroom that seat over 300.
A new ulurumeetingplace.com.au micro-site features an interactive tour as well as conference, incentive and events itineraries, a range of experiences including sunrise, sunset and Indigenous tours and full details about all the redeveloped conference venues, resorts and how to get there.
About Ayers Rock Resort
Ayers Rock Resort provides a variety of accommodation from the premium Sails in the Desert Hotel, and Australian Tourism Award-winning Desert Gardens Hotel, to the self-contained Emu Walk Apartments, the authentic Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, and Ayers Rock Campground, offering powered campsites and air conditioned cabins. Ayers Rock Resort is managed by Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia and owned by the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC).
