Quebecers who travel to the “Sunshine State” for the holiday season are rather “discouraged” upon their arrival due to the weather conditions, but sunny weather will gradually return.
• Read also: A massive low pressure system hits Florida
Celebrating Christmas in Florida is commonplace for many snowbirds, but this year, the weather is acting up.
In an interview on LCN, Marie Poupart reports, however, that certain events have been canceled in recent days, to the great dismay of Quebecers.
“The famous boat parade that takes place every year in Fort Lauderdale has been canceled, and I, in the ten years that I have lived here, have never seen that,” underlined the TVA Nouvelles contributor in Florida, specifying that the weather played spoilsport.
According to AccuWeather, the forecast maximum temperatures in Fort Lauderdale through January 8, 2024 will be between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius.
Habits that change
The COVID-19 pandemic and the inflationary context have disrupted the stays of Quebecers in Florida.
Marie Poupart, manager of the “La Florida de Marie” Facebook page, notes that “snowbirds” are tightening their belts in the face of rising prices.
As for Quebec entrepreneurs present in the state, they notice that tourists have changed their habits, she said in an interview on LCN.
Marie Poupart cites as an example the owner of the Shell Motel, Guy Piché, who is facing a drop in traffic.
“He had noted in recent weeks a drop in customers of around 15 to 20% for his Quebec customers. It’s still not significant,” she explains.
TVA News
According to Guy Piché, French is currently being heard less and less in Hollywood businesses and there are almost no queues in front of Canadian banks.
“He sees fewer Quebec license plates,” adds Marie Poupart, who also discussed the situation of their businesses with entrepreneurs François Grenier and Martin Tremblay.
The “snowbirds” portfolio is mainly damaged by the meteoric rise in housing prices in Quebec’s favorite state.
Many of them even shorten their stay in half to save several thousand dollars.
“In West Palm Beach, you really can’t find anything below US$3,500 for accommodation per month,” she says, specifying that this price affects two-bedroom accommodations.
For mobile homes located in Hallandale Beach in the “Park Lake” complex, you must plan on at least US$2,500 per month, emphasizes Ms. Poupart.
SCREENSHOT / VAT NEWS / QMI AGENCY
These “pharaonic” expenses are added to those devoted to insurance which have tripled in certain cases.
*Watch the interview in the video above*