Big drop in snowbirds heading to U.S. this winter, as many look overseas instead

MONTREAL — A new survey finds that fewer snowbirds are planning to flock to the United States this winter, with many choosing to fly overseas instead.

A poll from Snowbird Advisor, an online resource for Canadians wintering outside the country, shows a 15 per cent drop in the number of respondents who intend to head stateside this year.

Meanwhile the number of snowbirds — residents who spend at least a month in a warmer location during winter — planning travel to Mexico, Spain or other sun-splashed spots has nearly doubled.

Nonetheless, Snowbird Advisor Insurance president Stephen Fine notes that some 70 per cent of the 4,000 survey respondents still aim to go to the U.S., drawn back by property ownership, friends and family.

He points says the 15 per cent decrease in U.S.-bound snowbi