Vancouver, B.C., June 9, 2009 – Summer is here, camping is on the mind and you have called your favourite campground to find it is fully booked – what now? The answer has arrived in the form of a Google Map service launched this week by the Camping and RV British Columbia Coalition (CRVBCC) – a user-friendly tool that will aid people in finding, booking and getting to a great camping spot this summer.
The CRVBCC has made planning a camping trip a lot easier. They have plotted more than 1100 place marks on a Google Map indicating campground locations and, with the help of the RV Rental Association of Canada, added in RV rental outlets. Campers can easily use this map to pinpoint their desired destination and figure out how to get there. From rustic off the grid camping to luxury RV sites this is the first time ever that all four major campground brands – Parks Canada, Recreation Sites and Trails BC, Private Campgrounds and RV Parks, BC Parks – are plotted on one map. The service also offers a location finder and driving directions in five languages.
“This is the perfect resource for anyone planning a camping or RVing trip in BC,” says Joss Penny, Coalition chair and executive director of the BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association. “With many new travellers looking for an affordable holiday alternative, the CRVBCC is expecting the campgrounds to be very busy this year and, therefore, getting a campsite more challenging. This map will help people find new places and hidden gems that they may have not otherwise known about.”
The Google Map tool is accessible directly from the Camping and RV website on the where to camp page and is easy to use. The browser simply magnifies the region of choice and the surrounding campground and RV rental place marks. Each place mark has a pop up description box which provides essential information about the campground or RV location that enables quick decision making. Key information provided includes number of campsites, when the campground is open, fees, amenities and links to find out more or to book a spot. Try it! And remember to take the camera along for a chance to win over $4000 in great prizes in the summer “Get Camping in BC Photo Contest”. For more information please visit www.campingrvbc.com.
About the Camping and RV British Columbia Coalition:
The CRVBCC was formed with the support of Tourism British Columbia to position the province as offering an incredible variety of camping and RVing experiences, capitalizing on the growth of nature-based tourism. Coalition members currently include BC Parks, BC Lodging & Campgrounds Association, Parks Canada, Recreation Sites and Trails BC operated by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, RV Rental Association of Canada, Northern BC Tourism Association, BC Society of Parks Facility Operators, Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC and Tourism Dawson Creek.
Media Contact:
Andrea Wickham-Foxwell, Tartan Group
604.682.8811
[email protected]
Camping and RVing BC Coalition
Alenna Langhorst
604.469.9571
[email protected]
