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App allows campers to book sites in people’s backyards

Campertunity offers camping on private land across Canada
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An app is allowing people to book campsites on private land. (File photo)

Waking to the sounds of RVs and people passing by a small campsite on a gravel patch, Guita Yazdani thought there had to be a better way to enjoy the outdoors.

That same summer she went camping on someone’s property as part of an event and couldn’t help but compare the two experiences.

“I remember thinking, wow, camping on private land should become a thing,” she said. “We know there are too many campers and not enough campsites.”

READ ALSO: B.C. park reservations surge as campgrounds reopen

Yazdani, along with co-founder Nora Lozana, created an app called Campertunity that allows people to book campsites in people’s back yards. It also allows people to list their land to be used as a campsite.

“Canada is the second-largest country in the world so why is it so hard to get into nature?” said Yazdani.

This year, after provincial parks were closed to help limit the spread of COVID-19 the B.C. Parks website experienced a surge on June 1 and in the days following as provincial campgrounds reopened.

READ ALSO: Campers can get one site for the price of two in BC Parks this summer

Campertunity offers an alternative to camping at provincial sites, although it’s a legal “grey area” in some places.

“[Legalities] depends on the municipality, and every jurisdiction is different,” she said. “From what we’ve seen a lot of it is in a grey area so we do recommend [for] people who want to list their land, they’re welcome to email us and ask us about their specific area and we can look into it.”

So far, only a limited number of campsites are listed on the site around the Island but there’s an increase in sites on the Lower Mainland. The app is active for people to use across Canada.

“We’re seeing these great ripple effects that have come with [the app] like helping landowners sustain their land, it’s been building community and people are able to show off their backyards and turn camping into not just pitching your tent or parking your RV but really getting into this adventure,” said Yazdani.

For more information visit campertunity.com.


 

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