Times Colonist

2015 a banner year for camping reservatio­ns

-

A warm, dry summer and British Columbia’s natural appeal led the province to a record year in terms of camping reservatio­ns.

B.C. recorded 159,000 camping reservatio­ns this year, 24,000 more than last year.

This year, more than 25 per cent of those reservatio­ns were from visitors from across Canada, the United States and abroad.

According to the province, the new record is part of a trend after 2014’s numbers represente­d a 13 per cent increase over 2013.

“The pride British Columbians have in our magnificen­t parks is clearly reflected in the increasing numbers of people and families who enjoy them,” said Environmen­t Minister Mary Polak. “But more and more we are seeing the world associate B.C. with the natural splendour we enjoy right in our own backyard. I am thrilled that so many visitors, from throughout the province and around the world, love our treasured parks, and are making sure they get outside to enjoy them.”

The province’s central campsite reservatio­n system showed interna- tional visitors this year had come from the U.S., Germany, Switzerlan­d, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Spain, France, the U.K. and Australia.

Paul Nursey, chief executive of Tourism Victoria, said coming out of the recent Tourism Industry Conference in Vancouver he got the sense all sectors within the tourism economy had done well this year.

“I think it’s part of a broad growth in the tourism and leisure industry,” Nursey said, noting Tourism Victoria has 12 members involved in the camping and RV business. “It’s good to see them doing well.”

B.C. has 1,029 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservanc­ies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering more than 14 million hectares. The parks system receives more than 21 million visits each year.

Just over half of all camping opportunit­ies in B.C. parks are reservable, while about 49 per cent are available for first-come, firstserve­d customers.

There are more than 5,300 reservable sites in 99 provincial parks in 115 campground­s throughout B.C.

 ??  ?? Goldstream Park north of Victoria had a busy summer.
Goldstream Park north of Victoria had a busy summer.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada