National park booking site Recreation.gov, is leaving travelers stranded.

National park booking site Recreation.gov, is leaving travelers stranded. YPulse’s Travel report data shows that 75% of Gen Z and Millennials agree that traveling is important to their well-being and about half say they are very interested in camping/taking a cross-country trip. However, the online platform that manages bookings, overnight stays, day passes, and more is setting back traveling plans for domestic and international visitors. Recreation.gov is in charge of all federally managed sites in the U.S. such as national parks, memorials, historic districts, and recreational areas, and since park attendance has surged since the pandemic, more people are making reservations. But those jumping online to plan their stays are expressing their “frustrations with the platform [including] little to no availability for campsites and vehicle permits, fees for canceling reservations and confusing booking windows.” While the National Park Service is working on site adjustments following a series of complaints, most people are looking to avoid crowds during their outdoorsy getaways and ultimately, this system is preventing them from doing so. (NYT)