For nearly two decades, Victor Jarjour and his wife made an annual pilgrimage south in their motorhome, spending winters in South Carolina and sometimes Florida.
But this year, the 72-year-old, who lives near Ottawa, called it off. “At the end of the day, we said, ‘to hell with it,’ and cancelled everything,” he said.
Mr. Jarjour is one of many Canadian retirees who typically head south in their RVs but have either opted to stay home this year, are cutting trips short or are hesitating to rebook for next season. A weak loonie, rising costs, and growing trade tensions between Canada and the U.S. are making the usual snowbird getaway less appealing.
New U.S. policies are also adding to the unease. Starting April 11, Canadians staying in the U.S. for 30 days or more will be required to register with the government and potentially be fingerprinted, unless otherwise exempted.
Stephen Fine, president of Snowbird Advisor, an organization that provides a range of services including insurance and currency exchange, has heard from many Canadians about their concern and confusion regarding the new registration requirements.
Postcard: Fewer Canadians – and less fun – at a St. Petersburg mobile home park
“It’s another issue on top of many other issues,” Mr. Fine said. “All of those things combined together are giving snowbirds pause about travel to the U.S.”
Some U.S. RV park owners say they are seeing the shift and worry it could impact local businesses reliant on Canadian visitors.
Dorothy Brown, a property manager at Bickley RV Park in Florida where Canadians make up 25 per cent of guests, says some are hesitant to commit to another season. “They’re just not sure what’s coming next,” she said.
Canadians, especially retirees, embraced RV travel during the pandemic as a way to explore while staying in their own space, according to Shane Devenish, president of the Canadian Recreation Vehicle Association.
A 2023 study commissioned by the association found that 14 per cent of Canadian households own an RV, up 3 per cent from 2019. Boomers make up about 40 per cent of the RV and camper market, according to Mr. Devenish.
At Paradise Island RV Resort in Oakland Park, Fla., property manager Nancy Schreiber says Canadians typically make up 65 per cent of her clientele between November and April, most of them between 50 and 70 years old.
But this year, she is having trouble rebooking her loyal Canadian customers for next year. She said that about 10 per cent of her usual Canadian customer base aren’t rebooking, and she expects that number might grow. “That’s where I’m seeing the losses,” she said.
The number of Canadians who crossed the border from the U.S. by car dropped by 23 per cent in February compared to last year, according to Statistics Canada, which makes it only the second year-over-year decline since March, 2021.
For Mr. Jarjour, like many, a big part of his cancellation decision was the financial burden. With the Canadian dollar hovering around 69 US cents, everyday expenses such as campground fees, groceries, gas and insurance have become significantly more expensive.
Beyond the cost, some retirees are reconsidering their U.S. travel plans because of political tensions. Luana Hawken, 58, has spent the past four winters at Lake Letta RV Park in Avon Park, Fla., with her husband, staying four to five months at a time. But after this season, they’re done.
“We can’t support a country that is treating ours so poorly,” said Ms. Hawken, who lives in Peterborough, Ont.
For some, the decision to avoid the U.S. this year isn’t just financial or political – it’s about personal safety, Mr. Devenish said.
Rick Kamionka, 64, and his wife bought a 16-foot Airstream trailer in 2019 and have travelled places such as Utah, Nevada, California and Washington during fall and winter. This year, they stayed in Canada.
Mr. Kamionka, who lives in Vancouver, was worried about driving in the U.S. with a Canadian licence plate because of the growing tension between the two countries. “You hear stories of people driving down in the States and they feel like they’re being tailgated and cut off … we sort of feel like we would be targets.”
For American businesses that rely on snowbird traffic, the loss of Canadian travellers could have a significant impact.
Randi Hafner, assistant manager at Hilton Head National RV Resort in Bluffton, S.C., says Canadians typically make up 20 per cent to 30 per cent of their customers, but cancellations have surged this year, including from Mr. Jarjour.
The U.S. Travel Association estimated last month that even a 10-per-cent drop in Canadian travel would cost the industry US$2.1-billion and 14,000 jobs.
To the overall U.S. economy, “that’s not a huge amount,” said Kris Rossignoli, a cross-border tax and financial planner at Cardinal Point Capital Management ULC in New York. But for small businesses in communities that rely on snowbirds, “they’re going to get hit very hard.”
