The only thing I think would be if a group was going and the person who booked the trip had a change of plans and had to cancel, they could transfer it to someone else In the group.

While it is nice to see the Govenment paying lip service to these problems I wounder just how much of this is a dodge and deflect responce. They still have not really responded to the problems with the reservation system but come out with this latest announcement thathat the Government is listening to the people and are doing something.
Let's hope they handle this mess better than they have handled concert ticket scalping over the years because the way this is going it is only a matter of time until we have guys wondering around the East and West gate in trench coats and dark sunglasses hollering "Need Em Need Em, Got em" as they wave camsite permits over thier heads.
 

Last edited by Rob (4/27/2021 9:12 am)

scoutergriz wrote:

Marko_Mrko wrote:

Peek, you're absolutely right. this will do nothing.

I don't understand the need for transfer of permits... what scenario would you need to transfer?

I've had to do it a few times, once I couldn't go because I was needed for an emergency repair for work but my wife, in-laws and kid were still going, and a couple of times I was to lead group trips and got ill, requiring me to transfer the reservations to another trip leader.
 

 
That’s what I was thinking. I can’t think of any other scenarios and certainly not if someone is doing it multiple times in the same season.

I've always found the option to reserve but not be the permit holder online a bit odd.  Maybe they should get rid of that option?  Aside from booking for an organized youth group or kids under 18, why would you ever need to book a permit and not be the primary holder? (excluding the obvious answer - to sell the reservation).

I can empathize with someone organizing a canoe trip and then being unable to go or some reason, and needing to transfer the permit holder name over to those who can go.  Perhaps this should be a phone call option, and no so easy to do online. 

There is no simple solution that will please everyone.

I would say that reservations made online can’t be transferred. That eliminates the bot/reseller bookings and that seems to be the current scare.

I’m reading the latest paddling magazine right now and one of the articles is about the crazy growth in paddling over the last 12 months. Of course they are stating that it will continue, but really who knows. People have snapped up gear in an unheard of fashion. We may see this kind of demand continue, but I really doubt it. Maybe a few more seasons but I think we’ll return a lot closer to the mean than to the peak. And with that, everyone will forget about the reservation system again.

BB wrote:

Maybe what they should do is make the booking person list a secondary permit holder or Alternate incase they have to back out.  It would naturally have to be someone going on the trip and remove the need to make a "transfer".

Brilliant!!!!!!! This needs to be enacted.

BB wrote:

Maybe what they should do is make the booking person list a secondary permit holder or Alternate incase they have to back out.  It would naturally have to be someone going on the trip and remove the need to make a "transfer".

This is by far one of the better ideas. It is still not perfect as the person booking that particular trip doesn't necessarily know who exactly will be on the trip. Have you ever tried to book a buddies trip? Started with your regulars, most say 'for sure' they will be there again, then life happens and the roster changes repeatedly up to the week before when the most dedicated person - the one who booked the permit in the first place - has that unexpected event happen - health, family, work, whatever - and can't make it but now there are 5 other people who are committed and packed and can't change their vacation days on that short notice?

Something needs to be done about scalpers, but so far the suggested cures seem to be almost as bad as the problem. 

RobW wrote:

Jdbonney wrote:

There is no simple solution that will please everyone.

I would say that reservations made online can’t be transferred. That eliminates the bot/reseller bookings and that seems to be the current scare.

I’m reading the latest paddling magazine right now and one of the articles is about the crazy growth in paddling over the last 12 months. Of course they are stating that it will continue, but really who knows. People have snapped up gear in an unheard of fashion. We may see this kind of demand continue, but I really doubt it. Maybe a few more seasons but I think we’ll return a lot closer to the mean than to the peak. And with that, everyone will forget about the reservation system again.

So how would you handle summer camps (when they can run again) where the Camp Director books permits for the trips long before the tripping staff have been hired and then needs to assign the permit to the tripping staff who will be on the actual trip?
 

 
The camp directors assistant calls and makes the reservation over the phone.