It’s about this time of year that thousands of Canadian pensioners, or ‘snowbirds,’ traditionally begin packing up to spend their winter in Florida or Arizona. But a new survey suggests more and more of them are deciding to stay home or fly elsewhere… anywhere but the U.S.
The sharpest drop is among baby boomers, part of that group that traditionally spend their winters in the southern U.S. The survey from the Travel Health Insurance Association of Canada shows that of those 61 or older, only ten percent have said they are likely to head south. That’s a drop of 66 percent from last year.
They say they’re worried about higher travel costs, political tensions over tariffs, exchange rates and safety. Many are concerned about new entry rules that include being fingerprinted, photographed and paying a $30 registration fee.
“Having your photo taken and your fingerprints done feels really weird and wrong to us. But the reality is that many countries all over the world have already been doing this for the last decade,” said travel expert Barry Choi.
Many snowbirds are now planning trips to Mexico and the Caribbean and to Spain or Portugal. But it could all turn around if American destinations cut their prices.
“If some of the U.S. destinations start to go on sale, maybe that easy trip over the border still prevails,” said Will McAleer of the Travel Health Insurance Association.
But the Association also says the downward trend in the numbers is likely to continue for some time.