MS State Parks Success Story
Elevating the Visitor
Experience Across
Mississippi State Parks
A rapid six-month transformation that empowered
park teams with data, improved visitors' experiences, and opened new operational possibilities.
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The Challenge
Outgrowing a Reservation System That No Longer Met Operational Needs
After more than a decade using a previous reservation platform, Mississippi State Parks began encountering limitations that made it difficult to operate efficiently and confidently. The challenges extended beyond usability.
Park administrators struggled with limited reporting capabilities, inconstant data visibility, and growing uncertainty about system reliability. Operational issues compounded the problem. As the system evolved, technical problems such as double bookings began appearing more frequently, and resolving them became increasingly difficult.
Over time, confidence in the system began to erode.
For a park system responsible for managing thousands of reservations and delivering consistent visitor experiences, the need for a reliable and data-driven platform became clear.
The reservation site is the window dressing for our park system. If visitors can quickly find what they need and book their stay, that's the first step in making sure they have a great park experience.
Keith Harkins, Chief Adminstrative Officer
The Opportunity
Reimagining How Visitors Discover and Reserve Mississippi's Parks
When Mississippi State Parks began evaluating a new reservation solution, their priorities were clear:
Reliable reporting and access to operational data
Park leaders needed the ability to generate custom reports and analyze park performance without relying on external vendors.
A modern, intuitive visitor booking experience
The reservation system needed to be simple and familiar for both returning visitors and first-time guests.
Operational visibility for park managers
Local park teams required better insight into occupancy trends, booking patterns, and site utilization.
A solution that could support marketing and revenue initiatives
Mississippi wanted the ability to experiment with promotions, events, and new visitor offerings.
Just as importantly, the state faced an extremely tight implementation window.
To prepare for the upcoming park season, the new platform needed to operational within six months, far faster than the typical reservation system deployment.
The Solution
A Flexible Reservation Platform Built for Parks
Mississippi State Parks selected Camis to power their next-generation reservation system and began implementation in October 2024.
Within a short timeline, the system was configured to reflect the unique operational structure of Mississippi's parks.
Key capabilities included:
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A modern online reservation website for campsites, cabins, and park amenities
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Advanced reporting with Power BI integration
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Promotional codes to support marketing campaigns
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Event and ticket sales functionality for park attractions
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Digital payments and mobile payment support
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Centralized alerts and communication tools
The new platform also enabled ticket sales for park events and attractions, including waterpark and museum experiences, opening new opportunities for revenue and visitor engagement.
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The Implementation Journey
Six Months from Contract to Launch
Timeline was ambitious.
Mississippi State Parks signed their contract with Camis in September 2024, with the goal of launching the new system before the next park season.
Implementation officially began in October.
Over the next six months, both teams worked closely to configure the system, migrate data, and prepare staff for the transition. Despite the condensed timeline, the project progressed smoothly through requirements gathering, system configuration, testing, and training.
A structured onboarding process helped simplify what could otherwise have been a complex implementation. Mississippi was among the first clients to use a structured digital requirements gathering process, allowing their team to efficiently map inventory, pricing, business rules, and operational workflows.
The new reservation website officially launched March 25, 2025, followed by a public go-live on April 1, 2025.
Being able to stand up a custom system in six months was impressive.
Keith Harkins, Chief Adminstrative Officer
A Strong Parternership
Throughout the transition, collaboration played a central role in the project's success.
Mississippi State Parks worked closely with the Camis implementation team through requirements gathering, configuration, and launch. For them implementing a new reservation platform was not simply a technology upgrade. I was an opportunity to modernize how visitors discover parks, empower parks teams with data-driven decision-making, and introduce new ways to engage outdoor enthusiasts across the state.
By moving quickly and collaborating closely, Mississippi State Parks successfully transformed its reservation experience, creating a stronger foundation for the future of its parks,
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Mississippi State Parks, manages 25 state parks that support tourism, conservation, and outdoor recreation across the state.
At the center of this ecosystem is reservation experience, often the first interaction visitors have with the parks.
Faced with growing operational complexity and evolving visitor expectations, Mississippi State Parks took a proactive step to modernize its reservation experience.
Within just six months, the organization successfully transitioned to a new Camis platform, enhancing efficiency, improving access to data, and creating a more seamless experience for visitors.
Key Results
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New reservation website launched in 6 months
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​Enhanced data visibility and reporting through PowerBI
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Improved visitor booking experience
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New promotional tools to support marketing campaigns
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Expanded event ticketing and revenue opportunities
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Greater operational insight for park managers