Snowbirds aren't flocking to AZ

eNewspaper | Crosswords | Horoscopes Your Week with AZCentral A SPOTLIGHT ON THE JOURNALISM YOUR SUBSCRIPTION HELPS BRING TO LIFE. Fri Nov 28 2025 Felicia Campbell | Deputy Features Editor When Michael Salerno first told me he was examining how strained relations between the U.S. and Canada were affecting tourism in Arizona, I was hooked. The numbers were fascinating, as were the accounts of people changing travel plans in economic protest. Many Canadians have taken recent political animosity personally. And several are acting, spending and traveling accordingly. While the total effect of this trend hasn’t yet been fully felt in businesses ranging from restaurants and hotels to real estate, hearing from these part-time residents and visitors in their own words felt important, timely and heartbreaking. Here’s more from Michael on how the story came together. Read the story: Canadian snowbirds aren't flocking to Arizona like they used to. Inside the dramatic drop How Trump sparked the change How did you uncover that Canadian snowbirds were traveling to Arizona less? I began hearing about this early in the year, around March, when tariffs on Canada and President Trump’s “51st state” remarks upset many Canadian citizens. Some of the travel and tourism newsletters I follow discussed declining demand for travel from Canada to the U.S., some describing their actions as a boycott. I started gathering information for a deep dive and spoke with Miles Zimbaluk, who specializes in cross-border services for Canadian snowbirds. What most surprised you in reporting this story? How finding the relevant data was both easy and hard at the same time. Canada and Sky Harbor Airport had plenty of timely information that illuminated the trend. But Jill Cassidy, my editor until she retired in September, advised the story needed the most current number of Canadian visitors to Arizona, and that data proved difficult to get. When I began working on the story, the Arizona Office of Tourism’s Canadian visitor data went back to 2023. The 2024 data wasn’t issued until the late summer/early fall. And there were no 2025 year-to-date figures. The economic impact of fewer snowbirds What does this change mean for Arizona? From a consumer travel standpoint, lower demand for Canada-U.S. travel means fewer options for flying between Canada and Arizona. Flair Airlines pulled its seasonal flights. Airlines reduced their capacity, for instance, offering one daily flight on a route instead of two daily flights. Fewer Canadian snowbirds also mean less of an economic impact on Arizona, as the state wouldn’t benefit from the money they spend while they’re here. What’s the next travel trend you’ve got your eye on? There’s a few things I’m looking into. The declining tourism numbers in Las Vegas made me curious about not only how much Arizonans factored into it, but also the evolution of the favored destinations among Arizonans. Thinking about airlines and the different choices people have these days and how lucrative it really is, especially with Southwest Airlines about to debut assigned and premium seating. But I can’t spoil too much of what I’m working on, you’ll just have to stay tuned. How a seismic shift in Canadian travel impacts Arizona Air Canada airplanes stand on the tarmac at Pearson International Airport in Toronto on Aug. 16, 2025. Many Canadian travelers are canceling trips to the U.S. this year. In Arizona, this could have dire economic consequences. What's behind the shift. READ MORE Phoenix Suns team owner Mat Ishbia meets with the media ahead of the team's season opener on Oct. 22, 2025. 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