PHOENIX (AP) – Canadians Ian and Heather Stewart relish the idea of leaving this winter’s freezing temperatures behind as the United States reopens its borders for unnecessary country trips next week and begins a long delayed trip to their seasonal home in Fort Myers. Florida. .
Restrictions imposed by the two countries during the coronavirus pandemic and their own concerns have prevented the retired couple and millions of other Canadians from driving south to hot climates like Florida, Arizona and Mexico during the freezing winter months of last year.
Now Biden administration decision In order to get people vaccinated in the United States for any reason starting November 8, many Canadians are packing up their trailers and making reservations for their favorite vacation homes and trailer sites. Some are already in the United States and arriving on flights that have never stopped and only required a negative COVID-19 test.
But many waited to drive, preferring the comfort of the vehicle when rental cars are scarce and expensive.
Vacasa, which operates more than 30,000 vacation homes in North America, Belize and Costa Rica, said it has seen a significant increase in traffic on its network platform since the new rules were announced. Canadian user reviews for rentals in popular snowbird destinations increased by 120%.
Stewarts will board his SUVs with two dogs and a cat on November 10 for a four-day trip from Ottawa, Ont., To spend six months on the Florida Gulf Coast.
“We love it,” said Ian Stewart, 81, a retired air traffic controller with the Royal Canadian Air Force. “When the weather is nice, the feeling is so pleasant that you can walk around and chat with your neighbors. And you don’t have to worry about slipping on the ice and breaking! “
Like Stewarts, many Canadian snowbirds stay overnight in trailer parks and luxury resorts with pools, pickles, and sometimes golf courses for ages 55 and up. Stewarts has owned a manufactured home in their Florida park since 2007.
Arizona is also popular for its mild winters.
The Arizona Tourist Board expects immediate economic impact in a state where Canadians and Mexicans are traditionally the biggest overnight visitors, said Becky Blaine, deputy director of the agency.
“Phones have been ringing since they announced the border reopening,” said Kate Ebert, manager of the Sundance 1 RV Resort at Casa Grande, midway between Phoenix and Tucson.
Renée Louzon-Benn, director of the Grand Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, said last year that the desert community was unaware of visitors from Canada and Midwestern states like Wisconsin and Michigan, and that far fewer people were spending money locally. Craig McFarland, Mayor of Casa Grande, said the city of about 62,000 people typically has 25,000 residents each winter.
Wendy Caban from Lake Country, British Columbia is thrilled that she and her husband Geoffrey will soon be driving to their vacation home in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.
“I can’t wait to see a lot of the friends we’ve made over the past ten years,” said Wendy Caban. “I look forward to the heat.”
But the 73-year-old couple are still wondering when to go.
“I think it’s going to be crazy on November 8,” Caban said. “Then we’ll wait a few days and track the queues and the weather.”
According to the Arizona Tourism Board, nearly one million Canadian tourists spent $ 1 billion in 2019. That number has dropped to 257,000 Canadians who spent $ 325 million last year.
R. Glenn Williamson, Honorary Consul of Arizona Canada and Founder and CEO of the Arizona Business Council of Canada, said the tourism figures do not take into account the longer stays of part-time Canadians who spend months at home. House. in Arizona. – Up to 200,000 new people spend $ 1.5 billion locally each year.
With around 500 Canadian companies operating in Arizona, a new wave of younger and more successful Canadian snowbirds are working part-time in the state, buying quality homes and playing some of Canada’s most popular sports, has t -he declares.
Barbara and Brian Fox of Toronto, both 60, plan to continue working for their strategic communications company after returning to the Naples area on the Florida Gulf Coast in March-April.
This is the longest trip to Florida yet for a couple who canceled at least five planned trips to the south during a pandemic due to restrictions and possible infection.
Many older people are also planning to head south.
These include Wilf and Lynne Burnett, who have not taken an annual trip south of their hometown of Vancouver, B.C. since the coronavirus outbreak in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They usually tow a 4.5 meter long boat to fish and visit restaurants with a dock.
Now that the land border restrictions are lifted, Burnetts will have a three-month reservation for an apartment in Puerto Vallarta starting January 6.
“We are monitoring the virus and if the situation continues to improve, we will leave,” said Wilf Burnett.
For those who decide to travel at the last minute, it is probably difficult to book an apartment, motorhome or campsite.
Despite the limits of concerns, some snowbirds are making reservations for an earlier than usual season from November to early next year, said Bruce Hoban, founder of the 2,000 member vacation home owners and neighbors of Palm Springs. Hoban said snowbirds, which make up around 15% of vacation homes, typically have maximum visiting hours in February-April.
Futures contracts can also expect prices up to 20-30% higher due to increased demand, he said.
Bobby Cornwell, executive director of the Florida and Alabama RV Parks & Campground Association, said many destinations in those states were firmly booked from January through March, even before the new travel rules were announced. Indeed, Americans embraced RV travel during a pandemic and filled Canadian campers as usual.
Yet this is “wonderful news” that Canadians can come back to, Cornwell said.
“We encourage all snowbirds to plan for their arrival in Florida and make their reservations as early as possible,” he said.
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