Project Description
Tourism is one of Ucluelet’s main economic drivers, employing 400-500 people regionally and generating $50-60 million in regional spending each year. Done right, tourism can bring many benefits to communities; doing it right requires proactive planning and ongoing governance for community success.
The District of Ucluelet and Tourism Ucluelet hired WCS Engagement and Planning to help identify a shared community vision for tourism, and strategies to achieve it. The plan built upon the assets that made tourism and collaboration successful to date and proactively aligned with community expectations for tourism.
The project process and review were guided by a Tourism Plan Working Group made up of tourism operators, recreation/arts/ non-profits, Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, Parks Canada, Toquaht First Nation, and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ First Nation. Project engagement included community surveys, online sessions and input approaches, open houses, focus groups and interviews with key tourism rights holders and stakeholders.
Ongoing implementation governance systems include partnership agreements, schedules for review and reporting as well as a Tourism Plan Implementation Committee.
Project Details
Client: District of Ucluelet
Completion date: September 2022
Key deliverable: Tourism Plan for Ucluelet: Summary
Adoption: 2022-09-20 Regular Council Agenda
