Cooler than normal temperatures and record setting gas prices are not stopping campers from heading out on this May long weekend.

That is according to the President of the BC Lodging and Campgrounds Association, Jamie Cox, who also manages Gallagher Lake Resort, in the South Okanagan.

Speaking on the NL Morning News, Cox said fuel prices aren’t stopping people from heading out as this weekend is one where people usually stay close to home.

“Typically, May long weekend is that,” he said. “It’s the weekend that they get out and they’re testing. Some people are buying new units or they’re just going out as their first outing of the summer and so they do stay close to home.”

“That’s inherently what we experience here at Gallagher. Most of our guests today and this weekend are going to be coming from Central Okanagan, South. However, we do have our guests coming from the Lower Mainland, for sure.”

Cox said gas prices don’t seem to be having an effect, at least not just yet.

“We do talk about it with the board right now that the fuel prices may see an impact but again our pace of bookings across the summer are up from 2021 which was a remarkable, stellar year but we’re looking at and being sensitive to the longevity of the fuel price and see if there will be a negative impact but at this time we’re not seeing it or hearing it,” he said.

“I spend a lot of time on the reservation desk, conversing with our guests. I’m not seeing it, I’m not anticipating it but I’m not saying that it’s not there.”

But if gas prices were to remain high, Cox says people may change the way they plan there trips to save money.

“That was a discussion with a number of our members,” he added. “They’re seeing longer stays so instead of staying two or three days in one spot or migrating to another spot, we’re seeing longer stays in the booking pace right now.”