Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Oct. 8, 2026 — Hotels in areas considered at risk may relocate guests and staff to shelters Friday afternoon ahead of Tropical Storm Simon, Jalisco’s Civil Protection director said Thursday.
Sergio Ramírez López said the measure is part of the state’s initial emergency plan. Any evacuations would target properties facing specific risks, rather than all hotels in Puerto Vallarta.
The preparations come as Simon approaches hurricane strength. The National Hurricane Center’s 6 p.m. advisory reported sustained winds of 70 mph. A hurricane watch remains in effect from west of Playa Pérula to Punta Mita, including Puerto Vallarta.
Hotel Guests and Workers Could Be Moved Friday
During Thursday’s municipal Civil Protection Council meeting, Ramírez said some hotels have designated safe areas on their property. Those locations could accommodate guests and employees without requiring them to leave the premises.
Other hotels have agreements with outside facilities that can serve as temporary emergency shelters.
The distinction means guests at different properties could receive different instructions, depending on each hotel’s location and available shelter facilities.
Daniel Torres, general director of the Puerto Vallarta Hotel and Motel Association, asked during the meeting whether authorities had decided to evacuate tourists.
Torres said the association has information identifying hotels with shelter facilities and the number of visitors expected over the weekend.
State authorities have instructed the tourism industry to ensure guests and employees are protected by Friday afternoon.
“This has to happen tomorrow afternoon,” Ramírez said in remarks concerning the tourism sector’s emergency preparations, referring to moving people into temporary shelters or designated safety areas.
He also said the state’s Tourism Secretariat and consular offices in Jalisco had been informed Thursday morning about the developing situation.
Approximately 25,000 Tourists Currently Staying in Hotels
Puerto Vallarta Municipal Tourism Director Alejandra Cornejo estimated that approximately 25,000 tourists were staying in local hotels Thursday.
She put hotel occupancy at 55%, though the figures could change as travelers adjust reservations ahead of the storm.
Cornejo said hotels have already reported reservation changes, meaning the number of visitors requiring assistance could differ by the weekend.
The estimates provide context for the preparations underway across Puerto Vallarta’s tourism industry. Hotels must account for both registered guests and employees when arranging safe accommodation.
Residents Near Rivers Also Face Evacuation Concerns
The potential hotel evacuations are part of a wider effort to move people away from areas vulnerable to flooding.
During Thursday’s council meeting, Ramírez urged residents in high-risk locations to relocate before conditions deteriorate.
“People who are in a risk area must be evacuated between today and tomorrow,” he said during the emergency briefing.
State Civil Protection officials identified the Cuale, Pitillal, Ameca and Tomatlán river basins as areas requiring close monitoring.
In Puerto Vallarta, the Cuale River runs between Centro and the Zona Romántica, including the Emiliano Zapata neighborhood. The Pitillal River crosses the northern part of the city.
Officials worry that heavy rainfall across the surrounding mountains could raise river levels and cause flooding in developed areas.
During the council meeting, meteorologist Víctor Manuel Cornejo López warned that Puerto Vallarta could receive between 150 and 200 millimeters of rainfall from Simon.
The rainfall forecast calls particular attention to drainage systems, streams, and rivers that pass through populated neighborhoods.
Hurricane Watch Remains in Effect for Puerto Vallarta
Our review of the National Hurricane Center’s Thursday evening advisory found that Simon remained a tropical storm at 6 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph.
Forecasters expect Simon to strengthen into a hurricane Thursday night and potentially reach Category 4 intensity before approaching Mexico’s coastline Saturday.
A hurricane warning is in effect from Punta San Telmo to Playa Pérula, south of Puerto Vallarta. The coastline extending west of Playa Pérula to Punta Mita remains under a hurricane watch.
A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within the designated area. It does not mean hurricane-force winds are certain to occur throughout the watch zone.
PVDN previously reported that Puerto Vallarta was placed under a hurricane watch Thursday morning as officials began preparations for the storm.
Jalisco Civil Protection has also deployed nearly 200 emergency personnel to the state’s coastal regions, establishing operational command posts in Cabo Corrientes, Tomatlán, La Huerta, Talpa de Allende and El Grullo.
The deployments are intended to support evacuation preparations, emergency coordination and assistance to communities considered vulnerable.
For tourists currently staying in Puerto Vallarta, shelter arrangements will depend on the safety provisions available at their hotels and instructions issued by Civil Protection.
Guests should confirm their hotel’s emergency procedures with management and follow any relocation instructions issued by local authorities.
