In Hollywood, Fla., Richard Clavet operates a motel that transforms into a miniature Quebec town when the fall weather arrives. Life-size fiberglass moose are placed beside the palm trees, and the signs greet visitors from across the border. Clavet refers to the establishment as “Little Quebec.” He runs the place like a small-town mayor, placing the moose and posting the signs himself.
The neighborhood has lost many of its regulars this year, and the cause is clear: a dispute between the United States and Canada has kept Canadian visitors at home, leaving the proprietors who once counted on their patronage searching for other customers to make up the difference. Clavet’s response has been to treat the situation as a civic duty, doing what he can to bring the town back to life.
The Moose That Stopped Getting Visits
A Quebec native, Clavet described how the trade war that started last year triggered a wave of cancellations. Some guests pretended to be sick. Others simply stated their political objections. In every case, he said, the reasons were personal and immediate.
He recalled one caller who refused to come despite a paid deposit. “You have a $1,000 deposit already paid, you know — you’re turning that down if you’re not coming. At least postpone it or do something,” Clavet told the guest.
The guest responded without hesitation, answering the question directly. “No, I’m not going in the U.S. anymore.”
That refusal captures the heart of the matter. The caller was not canceling because of a scheduling conflict or a change in plans. The caller was canceling because of a choice about where to spend time.
For years, Americans have been the number-one destination for Canadians traveling abroad, per data from the Canadian government. That makes a decline in American visitors a serious blow for places like this South Florida community, which now feels the effects of strained relations tied to trade agreements.
Why the Border Crossings Slowed
The slide was not confined to political matters. A Canadian dollar that had lost strength raised the cost of travel abroad. New screening and identification demands placed on travelers at the U.S.-Canada border created obstacles. By the summer of 2025, Clavet became concerned. The combination of a weak currency and tighter border procedures made each trip more expensive and harder to arrange.
To build interest, he started throwing free parties and bingo games. He then filled his social media with pictures of Canadians enjoying themselves at these gatherings. His strategy worked, he reported, and this year’s bookings are strong.
“This year I’ve got a lot of them coming in October,” Clavet said. “I’m, like, a little freaking out — it’s too many.”
That worry is a measure of success for any business owner. Most would trade a full house for an empty one in a heartbeat.
Gandhi’s Worry Down the Street
There is disagreement over whether to call the period between October and April a snowbird season, a term that some do not apply to Clavet’s optimism. Down the street at the Curtis Inn & Suites, owner Jay Gandhi said he worries about this year’.
During the winter season when many people travel south to escape cold weather, Gandhi usually had between 60 and 70 Canadian visitors. That number fell to just 50 last year, and this year he is expecting roughly 30 guests. The decline has followed a steady path, dropping from the high end of the usual range to the low end and now well below it.
One owner is cheering a return to health, while the other is preparing for a fall. The contrast between the two operations could not be clearer: one is filling rooms, the other is watching them go empty.
Flights From Canada Fell Sharply
Broward County’s official marketing arm, Visit Lauderdale, reports a drop in nonstop flights from the Great White North began in April of last year. That decline mirrors the fall in visitors from Canada to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
That year saw flights fall by roughly 7%, with the decline stretching to nearly 9% across the first half of 2026. The figures show a steady downward slope, with the most recent numbers reflecting the deepest drop yet.
That tracks with a survey last year by the website Snowbird Advisor, which offers resources for Canadians who travel abroad. It polled some 4,000 members and found a 12-percentage-point decline.
Stephen Fine, President of Snowbird Advisor, says he has noticed more people traveling to foreign lands.
“We’re seeing an increasing number of snowbirds going to Central America,” he said. “We’re also seeing growth in the Caribbean.”
Fine said the United States remains the number-one travel destination for Canadian snowbirds, at least for now.
What the Numbers Show
A gradual drop in travel began in April of last year, according to Visit Lauderdale’s flight data. The survey recorded a decrease of 12 percentage points. Both sets of numbers point in the same direction, even though they measure different things: one looks at flights, the other at intentions.
| Measure | Direction | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Nonstop flights from Canada | Down | April of last year |
| Flight decline | About 7% for the year | Nearly 9% in first six months of 2026 |
| Survey decline | 12-percentage-points | 2025-2026 winter season |
Both sets of numbers show the same trend: Canadian travel to South Florida is down on both sides, with fewer people flying there and fewer people making reservations for a stay.
What Happens Next
A recovery appears to be under way at Clavet, according to his present bookings. He has expressed concern over an excess of guests expected in October. Most businesses would consider that a favorable situation rather than a burden. Clavet’s worry is the envy of many owners right now.
Gandhi’s standing rests on weaker ground. Bookings tied to him are projected to decline, sliding from 50 to 30. That is a real problem for a business that depends on repeat visitors.
Whether the trend will turn around is the larger issue at hand. The fact that snowbirds are shifting to Central America and the Caribbean is worth noting, as Fine has pointed out.
“No, I’m not going in the U.S. anymore.”
The caller who canceled provides a telling line about where things stand now. It shows that the politics at hand are deeply personal and entirely immediate.
For Clavet, the free parties worked. For Gandhi, the decline continues.
Canadian snowbirds continue to choose the United States as their number-one destination. Yet the path back to fully packed resorts is proving to be more drawn out than anticipated.
Source material: “Trade tensions mean fewer Canadians flocking to South Florida,” NPR.
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