If you are looking for a West Coast getaway, Ucluelet is off the table.
Following in the footsteps of its neighbour to the north, the District of Ucluelet is asking visitors to stay away until further notice due to COVID-19 concerns.
“If you have plans to come to Ucluelet in the near future, we recommend you delay your holidays until further notice.”
Mayor Mayco Noel says businesses in the district have been preparing to close for weeks.
“We’re starting to see restaurants close, it’s very evident that the hotels are starting to close,” Noel explained to CHEK News on Wednesday.
The district, in conjunction with the Ucluelet Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Ucluelet, says everyone should be following the guidelines set out by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and BC’s provincial health officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry.
“We’re encouraging people not to come here. People that are making these reservations, should know by now that they should be staying home,” said the mayor.
Anyone with reservations at local hotels or restaurants are asked to cancel, while postponing their stay for a later time.
The community is planning on complying with health officials recommendations and is encouraging social distancing.
This announcement comes two days after Ucluelet’s neighbour, Tofino, asked tourists to stay clear of the surfing destination, and for current visitors to head home due to COVID-19 concerns.
Neither district have given a timeframe for when visitors will be invited back, but Ucluelet “continues to actively monitor information provided by Federal and Provincial agencies with regards to the spread and severity of coronavirus.”
Ucluelet is asking the public to stay connected through social media by sharing their favourite memories with the district until the Vancouver Island destination is ready to welcome visitors again.
Rebecca Lawrence
