Advance reservations by Canadian snowbirds are down sharply at parks across the U.S. Sunbelt this winter, with many opting for warmer destinations outside the U.S., according to park operators and reservation service providers.
While the extent to which Canadian snowbirds stay at Sunbelt RV parks varies by park, for some RV parks and RV resort chains, the numbers can be significant.
Last winter, for example, Canadians accounted for about 8% of the winter business at Applebrook RV Resorts‘ six RV resort properties in Florida, according to Richard O’Brien, Applebrook’s CEO.
“For this season, we anticipate that this business will decline to 3%,” he said.
Even more Canadians have typically stayed at parks affiliated with Chicago-based Zeman RV Resorts, which has seven RV resorts in Florida.
“Canadian travelers make up about 10% of our overall reservations,” said Olivia Broom, Zeman’s marketing manager.
This winter, however, Zeman has seen declines in all but one of its resorts.
“All of our resorts are down in Canadian travelers this year,” Broom said, “with the exception of Southern Sands RV Resort, which has seen an uptick this year from last, with 15 more Canadian reservations.
“Zeman offers FQCC (Federation Quebecoise de Camping et de Caravaning) members a 15% discount to assist with exchange rates,” she added, “We have many returning Canadian guests, and some new guests as well.”
Overall, however, the number of Canadian snowbirds staying at RV parks across the Sunbelt is down significantly this winter compared to last winter.
Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Campspot is seeing a 38% drop in first-quarter bookings by Canadians across the U.S. Sunbelt, with significant double-digit declines in bookings in every state.
“No state is seeing growth,” according to Michael Scheinman, CEO of Campspot, adding, “If we are looking at all U.S. states combined, we are seeing a 32% drop year over year (YoY) in Canadian travelers for the first quarter of 2026, compared to the same period in 2025.”
Taking into account the number of parks that use the Campspot reservation system in each state, Florida and Georgia are experiencing the biggest overall drop in Canadian business. However, the decline in Canadian business is significant across the Sunbelt.
Consider Campspot’s reservation statistics for the following states:
- Georgia, down 71.3%
- Alabama, down 60.2%
- South Carolina, down 52.67%
- Louisiana, down 41.7%
- Florida, down 36.5%
- Mississippi, down 30%
- Texas, down 24.1%
Canadian travelers are still camping, however.
“In 2025, Campspot has seen an increase in Canadian travelers on our platform by 15% YoY but they have favored Canadian destinations,” Scheinman said, noting, “British Columbia and Alberta are seeing a 20% and 22% increase in bookings, respectively.”
KOA RESEARCH
Campspot’s figures are consistent with recent research by
Billings, Mont.-based Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA), which issued a report in December noting that 60% of Canadian snowbirds planning to spend a month or longer in warmer climates were selecting international destinations other than the U.S.
Only 27% of Canadian snowbirds were traveling to the U.S., KOA said, while 23% were opting for Mexico and 14% for the Caribbean. Another 9% were going to Europe.
“We are seeing the impact of cross-border travel hesitancy within our system,” said KOA President and CEO Toby O’Rourke. “Reservations from Canadian guests camping in the United States are down compared to last year, while the same pattern is reflected among Americans traveling north. Our latest research concludes that economic confidence, travel insurance requirements, the exchange rate, and new border protocols are all affecting traveler behavior.”
More specifically, KOA found that the cost of travel and lodging was the biggest factor affecting the travel decisions of Canadian snowbirds planning to spend a month or more outside Canada, with the cost of travel being a major consideration for 29% of Canadians.
While only 7% of Canadians cited the current political climate as a key driver affecting their decisions of where to travel for a month or more this winter, 12% cited cross-border entry or visa restrictions and 20% cited safety concerns, while 17% said they would rather spend their travel dollars elsewhere, according to KOA’s research.
These statistics were even higher when the same questions were posed to Canadian snowbirds planning to travel for less than a month this winter, with the cost of travel and lodging being an issue for 42% of travelers. Travel insurance and medical concerns are an issue for 36% of short-term Canadian snowbirds. The exchange rate is a significant factor for 20% of short-term Canadian snowbirds, while 24% would rather spend their travel dollars elsewhere, KOA found.
MIXED BAG FOR PARKS
Campground networks and companies that manage RV park portfolios that historically have had Canadian snowbirds during the winter months told Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM) that their Canadian bookings are down sharply this winter, although the extent to which Canadians typically stay at these parks varies by location.
Terra Vista Management, whose Southern California RV resorts include Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort in San Diego, is seeing “a significant decline in the number of reservations and revenue from Canadian visitors,” according to Jan Yerzik, Terra Vista’s director of marketing, although she declined to provide statistics.
“While our resorts have always loved hosting campers from Canada, visitation from that part of North America has not been a major driver for our business, Yerzik said in an emailed statement, adding, “At Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort, the impact of the recent decline in Canadian visitation has been noticeable but marginal — on average less than 1% of overall revenue in the past couple of years. We remain hopeful that in the coming years we will see more of our friends from the North return for the one-of-a-kind experience of camping and recreation in Mission Bay.”
Other companies reported significant declines in their Canadian snowbird business, including Ocean City, Md.-based Blue Water Development Corp., which manages 52 RV resorts across the U.S.
“Comparing 2025 to 2024, Canadian travel is down approximately 43.2% overall, which is consistent with broader market softness we are seeing tied to exchange rates, cost sensitivity, and more cautious booking behavior,” Jessica Nichols, Blue Water’s chief operating officer, told WCM in an emailed statement.
But while the decline in Canadian snowbirds is significant, Nichols said that Canadian travelers have accounted for “less than 5%” of bookings at Blue Water properties this winter and last winter.
On a positive note, while Canadian snowbird traffic is down significantly, Canadians who are traveling to RV parks and resorts managed by Blue Water are staying longer.
“Average length of stay from Canadian guests is up 1.4 nights year over year, with our Texas Gulf Coast and Central Florida parks seeing closer to a 4-night increase (year over year,” Nichols said.
“From a pacing standpoint, Texas Gulf Coast and Central Florida are currently pacing 8% to 10% ahead in long-term stay bookings for winter 2025–2026. While overall winter demand remains solid in those regions, reservations specifically originating from Canada are still trending down so far this season, suggesting the growth is being driven more by domestic and repeat guests,” Nichols added.
“We are also seeing a continued shift toward repeat and referral-driven bookings, with fewer first-time snowbirds entering the funnel. This makes direct communication and remarketing more critical than ever once a Canadian guest stays with us. Properties with established seasonal communities and strong on-site engagement are retaining Canadian guests at higher rates than those relying solely on new demand,” she concluded.
Nichols said Blue Water believes it can boost Canadian demand using the following strategies:
- Flexible seasonal terms and arrival/departure options
- Targeted Canadian outreach and remarketing
- Leveraging repeat guest relationships rather than relying on OTA-driven first stays.
Despite the widely reported declines in the Canadian snowbird business, some RV park managers told WCM their Canadian business was consistent with last year’s figures.
“As of right now, we are on par with the same number as last (winter) in most places,” said Rachel Godbout, chief operating officer of Advanced Outdoor Management, which manages 44 parks in 23 states.
“We do have one or two pockets in Texas that are slightly down in Canadian visitors, but the pace of pick up is trending in a way that indicates we will land on par,” she said, adding, “Florida, Louisiana, and Oklahoma are all in line with previous years.”
Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Roberts Resorts, which operates RV resorts in Arizona and Texas that are popular with snowbirds, is also hopeful about its Canadian bookings.
“Our snowbird business was a bit slower during our typical booking period earlier this year, but has trended upward with late-season bookings as we head into the New Year, which is encouraging,” said Julie Saffell, Roberts Resorts’ chief marketing officer.
Meanwhile, O’Brien said he remains hopeful that Canadians snowbirds will return.
“We have been sure to let guests know that we are inclusive communities, which has been validated by other guests,” O’Brien said, adding, “Our own research of non-returning Canadian guests indicates that when economic or political conditions improve, they intend to return to our properties.”
Despite the loss in Canadian business this winter, O’Brien added that Applebrook’s Florida properties are expected to provide “solid results with an increase in monthly guests partially offsetting declining transient and Canadian business.”
