It was a record-breaking opening day for campground bookings in provincial parks Monday.

Thousands of campsites were booked through the Manitoba Parks Reservation Service website since opening at 7:30 a.m. April 1.

By 2 p.m. Monday, more than 16,000 reservations had been made, an increase of 18 per cent over the same time last year, said the province.

Most campgrounds will open on May 10. Northern campgrounds and lakeside campgrounds will open May 17, weather permitting.

Last year was a record-breaker for campground reservations as well. Provincial parks saw five million visitors in 2012, and a record 67,500 reservations were made, an increase of five per cent over 2011.