The Mayor of Clearwater says he is pleased to see that this summer’s camping season is scheduled to start on time in a couple of months.

Merlin Blackwell says his community needs to have a good summer after a tough year for tourism in 2020 – which included a delayed start to the camping season – caused by COVID-19.

“Wells Gray is the anchor to about a $40 million tourism economy for our section of the North Thompson Valley. It is the big thing that people come to see,” he told NL News. “With people being so cooped up for this winter, I can see an absolute explosion in British Columbians and maybe later on, other Canadians coming over to explore the provincial parks.”

“There isn’t anything like what we have in sort of the whole Rocky Mountain, Wells Gray, Cariboo anywhere else in the country. It can be an absolute game changer and a favour for us considering Wells Gray traditionally lived on its 50 per cent diet of European tourists and Asian bus tourists for our income.”

With camping reservations for British Columbians opening on March 8, Blackwell is reminding people to keep all of the COVID guidelines in mind if they are booking their camping holidays across the province this summer.

“I think most people are kind of used to that that their holiday maybe squashed at the last minute if things go sideways. But I also think that people are really pent up and they really want to get out and have a summer,” he added. “I think behaviour should be fairly good, because we really all need a recreation break from what we’ve gone through this winter.”

As for visitors from out of province, Blackwell says while there are some concerns, he’s confident that the opening dates for when those people came camp in B.C. – July 8 – will reflect where the country is in terms of the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine.

You’ll find the latest information on opening dates at BC Parks across the province here.