Sonora, CA— Mother Lode Congressman Tom McClintock reports on his phone call today with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on the status of Yosemite National Park’s entrance reservation system on behalf of the Yosemite gateway businesses.
McClintock has long been an outspoken critic of the system. He recounted that the call lasted around an hour, and they discussed that hotel reservations are down, making overcrowding concerns irrelevant. The congressman stressed that this system hurts gateway community businesses. Read McClintock’s entire statement below:
“I spent an hour on the phone today with Interior Secretary Burgum and made the case on behalf of the Yosemite gateway businesses that the reservation system has adversely affected them. I shared a number of proposals they have made to improve access and accommodate crowds without restricting tourism at the park, and found him open and receptive to them. I conveyed the concerns of local hotel owners that room reservations for the summer are already down significantly and crowding is unlikely to be a problem this season, so continuing the reservation system this year is unwarranted. I also stressed that time is of the essence in announcing a decision to restore some predictability for families still making summer vacation plans.
I also stressed that an overhaul of the park management is long overdue and needs to be focused on improving the visitor experience.”