Investigations Narratives Pulitzer Winners. Connect with us. About us. Obituaries Homes Jobs Classifieds. Careers Advertise Legal Contact. Log in. Account Manage my subscription Activate my subscription Log out. Canadian snowbirds are returning to Tampa Bay With the land border opening next week, retirement communities are ready for a welcome boom population. By Hannah Critchfield. A winter has passed since the pandemic started and another is approaching — a long stretch that has left Canadian snowbirds longing for some Florida sun.
And while Patrick, now fully vaccinated, isn't ready to return — on account of the pressure COVID is putting on Florida's health system — it seems an increasing number of snowbirds are making plans to head south.
While these Canadian sun seekers might be Florida-bound in the months ahead, the federal government doesn't endorse the idea. Global Affairs Canada said Friday it still recommends Canadians avoid "all non-essential travel" outside the country, reiterating a stance Ottawa has held since the pandemic started. Erica Weir, a public health physician in eastern Ontario, understands why people want to get away but concurs with the government.
Yet, just like last year , the situation won't hold some snowbirds back. In an email, Air Canada spokesperson Peter Fitzpatrick said there's "strong demand" for leisure travel to U.
WestJet is also seeing a desire for sun travel, according to Morgan Bell, the company's manager of media and public relations. But she said "demand remains inconsistent and challenging to predict" due to "fragmented" travel rules. Snowbirds who go to Florida in the immediate future will fly there, as the U. Tom Luzzi, who owns an Arizona-based home-watch service, says most of his snowbird customers are in a holding pattern.
Canadian customers are waiting to see if the land border opens so they can drive across, rather than fly and rent a car for six months. Canadians can fly into the U. Do you plan to hit the road this winter? Where are you headed? Join the conversation below. Some customers ended up selling their homes, saying they could use money from the sale for future trips to Mexico, Europe or Hawaii. Another species of seasonal traveler is expected to pick up some of the slack from reluctant snowbirds: Zoombirds.
She teaches remotely while living in St. On Longboat Key, 20 condos are for sale on the south side of the island, when in a normal year it would be between and , and eight or nine single-family homes compared with a more normal 50 to 60, said Bruce Myer of Coldwell Banker Realty's Longboat Key office.
But on the buying side, Myer said he's sold few, if any, homes to Canadians in They're still very interested in the area, he said but the their absence makes it harder. The young ones are chomping at the bit to get down here, the active adults. They're going to come down, regardless and buy, I think. Big-ticket buying: Why is Sarasota's luxury real estate market so hot? Follows and his wife stayed in Canada last winter, an experience that he called "novel. Follows said they plan to keep things safe while they're here.
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