Mesa, Arizona(just east of Phoenix) is also a favourite with western Canadian snowbirds, who own or rent more than 100,000 Arizona properties for enjoying golfing, hiking, gambling at theWe-Ko-Pa Casino, watching olives being pressed into fresh extra virgin olive oil at the Queen Creek Olive Mill, or the chug-chugging Goldfield Ghost Town Train, the desert and towering red canyon walls. “Winter visitors are important to the tourism health of our destination,” said Visit Mesa’s Michelle Streeter. “Mesa attracts 4.5 million visitors a year and, in 2019, visitor spending inMesa climbed to record levels.” She admits that calculating just Canadian snowbird numbers gets tricky, but adds that about 70% of Arizona’s Canadian snowbirds flock from Alberta, B.C. and Ontario. Arizona was one of the hardest-hit COVID19 areas in the U.S. and Mesa stats show that infection rates spiked again, as recently as late October. COVID-19 restrictions continue to impact area businesses. Retail and restaurants and bars are open, but with varying levels of public health rules, limitations… and customers. McAllen, Texas is five miles from the U.S.- Mexico border. “Withmore than 300 area RV parks and retirement communities, we have more than 100,000 visitors each year,” says personable Robert Lopez, vice-president of Visit McAllen. “Some key snowbird factors are the cost of living in comparison to other retirement destinations, as well as snowbirds opting for McAllen’s proximity toMexico and South Padre Island.” Like many areas in North America, the COVID-19 situation and public health rules constantly change but (as of November) McAllen restaurants, stores and other businesses are open, no mask mandates or crowd size restrictions are in place, but the City requires that businesses prominently display the McAllen Safe Business Commitment Form. “McAllen has definitely felt the COVID-19 impact,” Lopez admits. “Retail sales are down by more than 5% year-to-date, due in large part to the travel restrictions, not only for snowbirds, but because leisure travel from Mexico usually accounts for roughly a third of McAllen’s retail sales. “One thing for sure: we love our Canadian snowbird Winter Texans,” he says with enthusiasm. Robert Lopez, vice-president of Visit McAllen The Goldfield Ghost Town Train chugs through the Arizona desert outside Mesa Cactus grows large in the Chola Mountains outside Mesa 42 | www.snowbirds.org COVID-19
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx