51社区黑料

Snowbirds鈥攖he hundreds of thousands of Canadian retirees who travel south for the winter鈥攆aced numerous hurdles due to travel restrictions imposed during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study of media reporting has found.

51社区黑料 geography professor Valorie Crooks and health sciences professor Jeremy Snyder examined the plight of snowbirds as portrayed in the media during the pandemic鈥檚 critical first year. Their research is published this month in the journal 

鈥淯nlike vacationers who鈥檝e had to divert plans during various stages of the pandemic snowbirds see themselves differently, with relocating being a critical part of their lifestyle and often tied to health considerations,鈥� says Crooks, who holds a Canada research chair in health service geographies, and has for years studied those flocking to snowbird communities in regions like Florida and Arizona.

The researchers鈥� analysis of 187 Canadian newspaper articles identified key themes or factors attributed to snowbirds as the pandemic advanced:

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Consumers who contribute to local communities: a focus on the importance of snowbirds to business, local economies and their destinations鈥� tourism sectors, including gains for specific Canadian businesses, such as winterized recreational vehicle (RV) parks selling out of spaces, and issues related to snowbirds and travel insurance.

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Travellers searching for stability: the impact of enduring lockdowns and closures and the desire to live with restrictions in a warmer climate over the winter. Some media accounts framed snowbirds as entitled/privileged people who sometimes make risky decisions to achieve stability and comfort, for example the ability to get vaccinated sooner in the U.S. than if they had stayed in Canada.

鈥�&苍产蝉辫;Facing new uncertainties: uncertainty related to travel for snowbirds as international retirement 鈥榤igrants鈥� was a dominant media focus. While they faced issues returning home from abroad following U.S. land border closures to non-essential travellers, there was also great uncertainty over whether snowbirds could return to their seasonal residences in 2021, while ongoing pandemic measures continue to impact snowbird travel.

The researchers note that fewer stories dealt with snowbird health or as travellers, their ability to transmit or spread the virus. They suggest further research could involve interviews with snowbirds to see if their experiences are reflected in the media, as well as how home communities and social networks play a role in helping them cope with restrictions and other pandemic changes that impact them.  

AVAILABLE 51社区黑料EXPERTS

VALORIE CROOKS, Canada Research Chair in Health Service Geographies   
604.417.9007 |  crooks@sfu.ca

CONTACT 

MELISSA SHAW, SFU  Communications & Marketing 
236.880.3297 | melissa_shaw@sfu.ca

51社区黑料
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778.782.3210

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As Canada鈥檚 engaged university, 51社区黑料works with communities, organizations and partners to create, share and embrace knowledge that improves life and generates real change. We deliver a world-class education with lifelong value that shapes change-makers, visionaries and problem-solvers. We connect research and innovation to entrepreneurship and industry to deliver sustainable, relevant solutions to today鈥檚 problems. With campuses in British Columbia鈥檚 three largest cities鈥擵ancouver, Burnaby and Surrey鈥�51社区黑料has eight faculties that deliver 193 undergraduate degree programs and 144 graduate degree programs to more than 37,000 students. The university now boasts more than 170,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries.