3% of Visitors to Florida are Canadian

I am sure our low dollar is a factor. Also, does a 5-month snowbird stay count as 1 trip? I see Michigan also represents about 3% and I would think that prosperous ON/QC spend more money down south than Michigan.

But yeah, when I'm down there I'm not hearing that Florida is really crying for the lack of Canadians.

Dealmaker1945 wrote: ↑ I am sure our low dollar is a factor.

I couldn’t find historical data, but according to this newspaper article, it was 3.1 million in 2010, when the Canadian dollar was at 95 cents US.
https://www.thestar.com/life/travel/201 ... onomy.html

The Florida Governor was in Toronto last year trying to get more visitors. They even had promos with air canada and a website for 20% off deals.

Would be interesting to know how much of those 98 million are Disney World visitors only.

Why would someone avoid florida exactly?

dealguy2 wrote: ↑ Why would someone avoid florida exactly?

Donald J Trump

uahmed wrote: ↑ Would be interesting to know how much of those 98 million are Disney World visitors only.

Probably a large chunk. Some snowbirds probably have homes in Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami and Orlando.

Otherwise the hell you gonna visit Florida for?

LOL when you become a stiff old reptile you will come to appreciate the sunshine state! Yes, you all will.

Dealmaker1945 wrote: ↑ LOL when you become a stiff old reptile you will come to appreciate the sunshine state! Yes, you all will.

I doubt it. Much better places to go, cheaper, better food.

foreigncontent wrote: ↑ I doubt it. Much better places to go, cheaper, better food.

Please tell me where I can rent a condo on the beach for $1000 a month and still be able to drive my own car for cheaper? I sure the hell would like to know.

only 3%? i thought should be 30%

HeatSeeker wrote: ↑ Please tell me where I can rent a condo on the beach for $1000 a month and still be able to drive my own car for cheaper? I sure the hell would like to know.

New Brunswick. Although it would be a house.

forgetpwd wrote: ↑ only 3%? i thought should be 30%

In some places like Hollywood Beach I'm sure the number is even higher than 30...

Let’s look at these numbers...

No matter how you slice it, the largest group of INTERNATIONAL visitors to Florida... ARE CANADIANS
By a ratio of over 2:1

Secondly, as someone who used to work for Customs, I can give a little insight into how Stats Can collects this data
(And very likely how any US equivalent does as well)

It comes from self reporting by visitors

So easy peasy if you fly to and from Florida... those would be the “purest” of numbers / stats

But if you drive, and STATISCALLY a whole lot of Cdns drive into the USA

Then it’s going to be based entirely on what one DECLARES to Customs going into the USA, and then coming home to CBSA at the Cdn Border upon return

Cause there is NO BORDER to enter Florida !

So I say the numbers are lower that actual reality

If you went to Grammas in Atlanta for Christmas... but decided to pop down to Florida for a few days... chances are high that when you return to Canada, you’ll tell the Customs Officer you were at Grammas in Atlanta... not that you took the kids to Disney too.

I have been a traveller to the Sunshine State my whole life.
And one thing that I know about my own travels, and many others that I have met, spoke to

When it comes to us Cdns and our LOVE of sunshine... if travelling by car, we make a lot of unplanned trips to Florida

We are used to long drives... so spending a few extra hours to get to Florida ... when we are almost there anyhow... is not an unlikely occurrence.

With Florida on the horizon... it is very possible we may change our plans and head to the Sunshine State... just because... we can.

As for Snowbirds...
Florida is full of Cdns in the winter months.

Ya, they would only count their whole stay as one visit... but it could very well be one that extends from November to April

Six months...
That’s a whole lot of Sunshine, Vitamin D and mental well-being
And definitely something that is proven to extend the life of older adults / elderly persons

No matter our age... we want some of that
So that’s why Florida is so popular with Cdns

scoper wrote: ↑ Donald J Trump

What does that have to do with anything?

dealguy2 wrote: ↑ What does that have to do with anything?

A lot of Canadians don't want to visit the states because of their politics.

Chickinvic wrote: ↑ A lot of Canadians don't want to visit the states because of their politics.

That's gotta be the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

PointsHubby wrote: ↑
Six months...
That’s a whole lot of Sunshine, Vitamin D and mental well-being
And definitely something that is proven to extend the life of older adults / elderly persons

No matter our age... we want some of that
So that’s why Florida is so popular with Cdns

Yup, just think of some of that Florida goodness . .

- Happy hour with cheap drinks and half price appetizers
- Grouper sandwiches with fresh fried potato spirals
- $4.99 Roasted chickens at Costco
- Kirkland wines at Costco
- Big parking spots at the mall
- You can legally float down the I-75 at 75 Mph in your Impala for some stretches. (That's why it's called the I-75 )
- You can walk on the beach without getting hookworm in your feet from dogpoop
- If you are a conservative the guy next door will be happy to cuss Obama and Trudeau with you
- Senior shuffleboard hustlers
- The newscast shows a car running over a giant Burmese python on a residential street
- The weather forecast is for 80 degrees again
- That dolphin is fishing 200 feet from your beach chair

Dealmaker1945 wrote: ↑ Yup, just think of some of that Florida goodness . .

- Happy hour with cheap drinks and half price appetizers
- Grouper sandwiches with fresh fried potato spirals
- $4.99 Roasted chickens at Costco
- Kirkland wines at Costco
- Big parking spots at the mall
- You can legally float down the I-75 at 75 Mph in your Impala for some stretches. (That's why it's called the I-75 )
- You can walk on the beach without getting hookworm in your feet from dogpoop
- If you are a conservative the guy next door will be happy to cuss Obama and Trudeau with you
- Senior shuffleboard hustlers
- The newscast shows a car running over a giant Burmese python on a residential street
- The weather forecast is for 80 degrees again
- That dolphin is fishing 200 feet from your beach chair

Lol, or as some say...

Familiar enough to be like home
But different enough to not be.

In the Winter it’s the difference between 30 F and 30 C

And for many... that alone is a big enough difference to “look past” the other 30
(30% exchange)

In reality the exchange is maybe 30% but in lots of instances the US Dollar at $ 1.30 goes further than $ 1 Cdn

Like Hotel Rooms under $ 100, and Meals big enough to share between 2 (or take a doggy bag for tomorrow’s lunch)
Happy Hour Drinks, Gas for the Car etc

Sure you need a bit of saved change to actually be able to afford a Winter vacation in Florida
But once you are there... your money goes further than it would in many other Warm & Sunny Destinations

Plus that element of familiarity... language, food, culture, etc does offer up a sense of security / safety that just doesn’t compare to other places in the Caribbean (be it real, or perceived)

That is also why so many Cdns gravitate to Florida