Alberta Parks is updating its online camping reservation platform, introducing a new system with enhanced search capabilities and features just in time for the upcoming booking season next week.

The organization disclosed in a statement to CBC News that it is transitioning its camping reservations to a cloud-based solution this year.

“The existing system, which is 15 years old, has been underperforming due to increasing demands from users in recent years,” the statement noted.

Among the notable improvements are features designed to benefit last-minute campers by showcasing available sites, a “favourite” option for users to mark preferred campsites, and broader payment options including Visa, Debit, and Mastercard Debit.

Tanya Jones discovered the new system upon logging into her Alberta Parks account on Monday, intending to plan her summer outings. She learned that she would have to create a new account since her previous information would not carry over to the new platform.

“I reviewed my camping history because we had specific sites we favored from our trips last year,” she mentioned.

She had to manually record these sites for future reference when booking again.

Jones found the new reservation system relatively user-friendly but expressed disappointment over the lack of communication from Alberta Parks regarding the transition, which could have helped users prepare and preserve their camping history before the old system is phased out.

“They have my contact details; an early notification via email about the system change and instructions for the transition would have been helpful,” Jones remarked.

“It’s essentially added a significant burden on the users,” she added.

Tyler Dixon, an Alberta Parks ambassador, is enthusiastic about the new system’s launch.

He anticipates the update will simplify and improve the reservation process.

Dixon highlighted that the new system addresses previous crashing issues during high-demand periods and introduces a feature for identifying dog-friendly sites, which was unclear in the old system.

With the old site becoming inaccessible on February 18, Dixon advises users to document their camping history and acquaint themselves with the new platform in advance.

“This transition might take some getting used to as it feels different from the previous system. I’d definitely recommend exploring and getting accustomed to it before it goes live,” he suggested.

To create an account on the new platform, users can visit shop.albertaparks.ca.

Alberta Parks plans to release step-by-step tutorial videos to guide users through the new booking process.

The schedule for upcoming camping reservations is as follows:

  • Backcountry Camping reservations begin on February 20 at 9 a.m. MT
  • Comfort Camping reservations start on February 22 at 9 a.m. MT
  • Individual Campsites reservations open on February 26 at 9 a.m. MT
  • Group Camping reservations become available on February 28 at 9 a.m. MT

Source: CBC