With free admission, visits to national parks and historic sites jump this year

In Canada's it's not just about building it so they will come, it appears making it free also plays a role.

More than 14 million people streamed through the gates of national parks and historic sites between January 1 and July 31, up 12 per cent over the year before.

In absolute numbers, it's an increase of more than 1.5 million visitors and at least one province is hoping the federal government will extend the free admission program another year.

Heath MacDonald, Prince Edward Island's minister of economic development and tourism, says there is no question the free parks program is driving more tourism in his province and he'd like to see if another year of free passes would continue the effect.

Almost 374,000 people visited Prince Edward Island National Park before the end of July this year, up 37 per cent over the year before.

The biggest increase in visitors to a national park was seen at Point Pelee in southwestern Ontario, where the number of tourists visiting the park in July almost doubled over the previous year and total visitation since the beginning of the year is up 66 per cent.