WATCH: As vacation accommodations fill up for the summer in Tofino, one man has donated his luxury home to be auctioned off for seven nights in support of a good cause.
Even on a cloudy day people love the beaches around Tofino and they come from around the world to experience what the west coast has to offer.
“And they come for this experience of the wild west coast and to go whale watching and see things they’ve never seen before.” said Chair of Tourism Tofino J.J. Belanger.
It’s still only May but the tourists have arrived. It will only get busier in the coming weeks so many who are planning a vacation in Tofino this summer have already made a reservation.
“Yeah I think summer is already sold out,” said Tofino Mayor Josie Osborne. “It’s very hard to find even a little pocket where you could find anything from an Airbnb to a hotel room and that’s a great sign. We’re popular, people want to come and visit. They’re smart, they’re booking ahead but it makes the last minute traveller a little harder to accommodate.”
That is unless you have a large group and at least $15,000 to bid on a private oceanfront home in Tofino.
The owner is putting it up for auction for a full week, with the proceeds going to the Tofino General Hospital Foundation.
“So we have accommodation for seven nights, flights between Tofino and Vancouver/Victoria, a feast cooked by a local chef right in the house, other meals at local restaurants, kayaking, whale watching, surfing and stand-up paddle boarding rentals, bicycle rentals, discount on car rentals and more,” said Jennifer Brierley of Octopus Event Promotions. The company is hosting the online auction on its website.
The package is for 12 people and is valued at $25,000. The starting bid is $15,000 and the amount raised will be used to buy new medical equipment at Tofino General Hospital.
The foundation was surprised by the homeowner’s generosity.
“We were absolutely thrilled” said Foundation Secretary Judy Michaud. “It’s not unlike people in our community to step forward and donate and have done so in the past and continue to. This is just something a little new, a little outside the box and we’re anxious to see how it goes over.”
The home and everything that goes with it, along with the right bid, could solve your Tofino vacation accommodation problem this summer.
The bidding ends at 4 p.m. on May 15.
You can find a link to the auction and all of the details here.
Dean Stoltz
