BC Parks (British Columbia, Canada) the body responsible for overseeing the province’s beautiful campgrounds, has announced the introduction of a convenient “notify me” feature to its reservation service.
This innovative service development will provide enthusiasts with timely email notifications when previously booked campsites at their specified campgrounds become available, further enhancing the camping experience in the region.
The newly launched feature is designed to allow park-goers to sign up for up to five alerts for reservable campgrounds and specific dates.
When a campsite becomes available for the desired date and location, an automated email notification is triggered, keeping the outdoor enthusiasts informed in real-time. This functionality has been crafted with the aim to provide users with a second opportunity at their preferred camping spots, particularly beneficial when cancellations occur.
George Heyman, minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy highlighted the community’s sentiments during the announcement, “British Columbians have told us how disappointed they are when a campsite in their favorite campground is not available, and we — and they — also know there are thousands of canceled camping reservations each year.”
“We’ve worked hard to find a fair way to give people a second chance at their first choices. Receiving a notification email does not guarantee a campsite, but it does provide a simple way for people to keep track of desired camping opportunities when cancellations occur.”
This customer-centric feature is part of BC Parks’ continual enhancements to its digital services. These improvements aim to streamline the visitor journey, from browsing options on a computer to setting up a tent in the campground. The reservation service recorded unprecedented numbers in 2022, with over 317,000 reservations and more than 60,000 cancellations, predominantly within two weeks of the arrival date.
Aman Singh, parliamentary secretary for Environment, shed light on the growing popularity of camping in B.C. and the increasing demand for campsites in popular parks.
As of the 2023 season, enthusiasts will be able to book campsites four months in advance of their planned arrival date. In response to growing demand, BC Parks has also expanded its reservation service to include eight previously unreservable campgrounds, such as Gwillim Lake Park near Chetwynd, Yahk Park near the Kingsgate border crossing, and Allison Lake Park near Princeton.
The inclusion of the “notify me” feature is a testament to BC Parks’ commitment to improving the user experience, making outdoor adventures more accessible to all British Columbians.