It won't be "business-as-usual" for the annual October-to-April influx of "Snowbirds" over the border up North. All forecasts for the seasonal economic boost are down - don't expect the droves of wintertime visitors returning to their second-homes. Until any change in possible plans, The Canadian Border has been closed to Non-Essential Travel. The crossborder travel ban is likely to be extended beyond November 21st.
Sally Jo got a chance to have her say on public radio just the other day. It's woefully short on providing details, but she's been talking to the "business community"
Fewer Snowbirds Would Hurt Arizona's Economy
LAUREN GILGER: With fall upon us here in the Valley and temperatures finally sticking in the double-digits, this time of year, we'd expect to start seeing an influx of winter visitors from Canada, the upper Midwest and other places where winter actually means freezing conditions. But with the coronavirus pandemic still affecting so many aspects of life, there may be fewer snowbirds flocking to the Valley this year, and that could have a big impact on those communities that rely on them.
For more on this, our co-host Mark Brodie spoke with Sally Harrison, president and CEO of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce, and asked how important snowbirds are to Mesa and its economy.
SALLY HARRISON: You know, it's extremely important. We depend on that activity from that, that age group and not only just going to restaurants and, you know, things like that, but just in our, some of our parks and our, you know, over-55 communities. It's significant. And when they're not here, we certainly, you know, we certainly feel it as a business community.
MARK BRODIE: What is the expectation for how many people will come this year relative to other years?
HARRISON: Yeah, that's, that's kind of the big question, right? I know we have an employee who lives in a senior community, and that's kind of the talk right now is, you know, who's coming back. I do know from talking with our friends at Gateway Airport that they have activity from Canadians, so that is very promising. That's exciting news to us because that to me says a lot about what may happen. It's looking like those who can get back will. And I think it will kind of depend on what happens this fall with COVID and if we have another spike.
BRODIE: Are there concerns either within the business community in Mesa or just sort of broadly in the city about having people coming from all sorts of different places and congregating in one city and maybe in particular communities and, you know, potentially bringing with them COVID-19 or whatever other viruses or germs they might have with them?
HARRISON: You know, I've heard some talk about that, but I think it's almost the reverse.
I think a lot of folks think it's worse here than it is in other areas.
BRODIE: Interesting. That seems like maybe it would turn people away from coming.
HARRISON: Well, and that's the fear, right? I do know that from our friends at Gateway Airport and the response that they've had to opening up flights from Canada, that they have a lot of interest in people coming back.
So there's kind of mixed messages to us in the business community as to what will happen. . .
EXPAND THAT CONVERSATION IF YOU WANT TO >
https://kjzz.org/content/1634630/fewer-snowbirds-would-hurt-arizonas-economy
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On the other hand, the head of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce, Glen Hamer, has some data:
". . .Before the border with Mexico was closed to nonessential travel because of COVID-19 in mid-March, visitors were spending about $8 million daily in Arizona. Now, the annual influx of Canadian visitors – aka snowbird season – is in jeopardy, Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President-CEO Glenn Hamer said.
He believes overall tourism figures will be sliced up to 60% this year. .
“Arizona’s congressional delegation needs to press the administration to negotiate an agreement for a safe cross-border travel,” Hamer said.
“Kicking the can down the road month after month with no plan in place is no longer the acceptable default,” he added.
Arizona business leader says ‘snowbird season’ will suffer from border limits
PHOENIX – Arizona’s economy has taken a double shot from the coronavirus pandemic, one of the state’s top business leaders said
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