Environment and Conservation
May 12, 2015

The following statement was read today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Environment and Conservation:

Minister Encourages Use of Provincial Parks and Campgrounds

Mr. Speaker, the diverse range of outdoor recreational opportunities offered through our impressive network of family friendly campgrounds and day parks has something to offer everyone. I am pleased to rise today in this Honourable House to encourage all members, residents, and visitors from far and wide to explore and enjoy Newfoundland and Labrador’s great outdoors this summer.

Mr. Speaker, we may not always have perfect camping weather, but that certainly does not deter the thousands of campers who flock to our provincial campsites each year. In advance of this year’s camping season, we launched a new provincial campsite reservation service designed to better meet the needs of outdoor enthusiasts province-wide.

Developed by renowned campsite management provider, Camis, the new service requires users to pay both the reservation fee and the campsite fees at the time of reservation. This approach is designed to deter clients from failing to cancel reservations when they do not intend to show up.

The new service improves the customer experience in other ways as well. For example, users now have the ability to search based on campsite availability instead of campsite category and a more streamlined campsite numbering system has been implemented to replace the use of letters. In addition, campers now have the option of paying for a vehicle entry fee at the time of reservation, thereby allowing for a speedier check-in upon arrival at the park.

The response to this new service has been overwhelmingly positive, Mr. Speaker. During launch week alone, more than 4,200 reservations were made through the service, and staff received a number of positive, unsolicited public comments on its ease and efficiency. The new system is working extremely well and is expected to result in increased usage of campsites during the 2015 camping season.

Mr. Speaker, spring has sprung and the camping season is just around the corner. Seven of our 13 provincial camping parks open for the season on Wednesday, May 13, followed by additional park openings on May 22 and 29. For anyone who has not already done so, I encourage you to visit the new reservation system at www.nlcamping.ca/ , book your campsite now and get out and enjoy this province’s impressive network of provincial parks and natural areas this summer.

2015 05 12                              2:30 p.m.