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, according to The Globe and Mail.
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 canceled everything,” he said.
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.
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% of guests, says some are hesitant to commit to another season. “They’re just not sure what’s coming next,” she said.
The post Some Canadians Cancelling Trips Amid Trade Tensions first appeared on RVBusiness - Breaking RV Industry News.