A massive group of travel industry organizations is asking the United States Department of the Interior and National Park Service to consider reforming the current visitor reservation systems at national parks.
According to a letter from the U.S. Travel Association, 297 domestic and 91 international travel organizations are asking for reservation systems with short booking windows and inconsistent procedures to be overhauled to help international travelers and tour operators.
The letter was sent to Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. It proposed that reservations be allowed 10 to 12 months in advance. In addition, the organizations want a consistent reservation system across all parks that require advanced ticketing.
The reservation systems were implemented mainly as part of an effort to curb overcrowding at national parks during the pandemic, but they can be cumbersome to international visitors.
“The national parks are some of the biggest draws for overseas visitors, but the short booking windows make it nearly impossible for visitors to plan their trips,” said U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President Tori Emerson Barnes.
“By extending the booking window to at least 10 months, we can ensure that the parks remain open and welcoming to overseas visitors while protecting our cherished wildlife, landscapes and natural resources."
An estimated 35% of the 327 million visitors to national parks in 2019 were from overseas. Coupled with the expectations that international inbound travel spending will recover by 2025, the organizations believe now is the time to streamline the reservation process.
The U.S. Travel Association and its partners believe any action by the Interior Department to expand reservation systems should be preceded by a discussion with constituencies, including gateway communities, tour operators and transportation providers.
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