Environment Minister Terry Lake says Discover Camping saw a 41 per cent increase over 2011 when BC Parks opened for reservations on March 15. In the first hour, more than 2,100 reservations were made.
This represents approximately 35 a minute.
Overall, Discover Camping received 3,970 reservations on opening day compared to 2,815 in 2011, the majority of which were made online.
Campers’ top two picks were: Bear Creek near Kelowna in the Okanagan and Porteau Cove on the Sea to Sky Highway south of Squamish.
Discover Camping takes reservations up to 90 days in advance.
Riding on the centennial high of 2011, BC Parks is enjoying a surge in interest with many British Columbians re-discovering provincial parks in their own backyard. The proof is in the numbers. More than 90 per cent of the reservations were from British Columbia.
New this year is the ability to make up to three reservations in one transaction - reservation fees apply for each booking. Reservations can be made in any one of 97 frontcountry campgrounds.