Canadians Ian and Heather Stewart are savoring the idea of leaving behind this winterB次元官网网址檚 subzero temperatures when the U.S. reopens its borders to nonessential land travel next week and they launch a long-delayed drive to their seasonal home in Fort Myers, Florida.

Restrictions imposed by both countries during the coronavirus pandemic and their own concerns kept the retired couple and millions of other Canadians from driving south to warmer climes like Florida, Arizona and Mexico during last yearB次元官网网址檚 freezing winter months.

Now, the to allow vaccinated people to enter the U.S. by land for any reason starting Nov. 8 has many Canadians packing up their campers and making reservations at their favorite vacation condos and mobile home parks. Some are already in the U.S., arriving on flights that never stopped and have required just a negative COVID-19 test.

But many have waited to drive, preferring the convenience of having a vehicle to get around in with rental cars scarce and expensive.

Vacasa, a management company for over 30,000 vacation homes in North America, Belize and Costa Rica, said it saw a major rise in traffic on its online platform after the new rules were announced. Canadian usersB次元官网网址� views at rentals in snowbird-popular destinations jumped by 120%.

The Stewarts will board their SUV with two dogs and a cat Nov. 10 for the four-day trek from Ottawa, Ontario, to spend six months on FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Gulf Coast.

B次元官网网址淲e love it there,B次元官网网址� said Ian Stewart, 81, a retired air traffic controller with the Royal Canadian Air Force. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 such a nice feel with the good weather that lets you get out and walk and talk to your neighbors. And you donB次元官网网址檛 have to worry about slipping on the ice and breaking your bones!B次元官网网址�

Like the Stewarts, many Canadian snowbirds stay at mobile home parks and luxury RV resorts B次元官网网址� with swimming pools, pickleball and sometimes golf courses B次元官网网址� for people 55 and over. The Stewarts have owned a manufactured home at their Florida park since 2007.

Arizona is also popular for its mild winters.

The Arizona Office of Tourism expects an immediate economic impact in a state where people from Canada and Mexico traditionally make up the largest number of overnight visitors, said Becky Blaine, the officeB次元官网网址檚 deputy director.

B次元官网网址淭he phones have been ringing off the hook since they announced the border will be reopened,B次元官网网址� said Kate Ebert, manager of the Sundance 1 RV Resort in Casa Grande, halfway between Phoenix and Tucson.

Ren茅e Louzon-Benn, executive director of the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, said the desert community last year felt the absence of visitors from Canada and U.S. Midwestern states like Wisconsin and Michigan, with far fewer people spending money locally. Casa Grande Mayor Craig McFarland said the city of about 62,000 people usually swells by another 25,000 each winter.

Wendy Caban of Lake Country, British Columbia, is thrilled she and her husband, Geoffrey, can soon drive to their resort home in the Phoenix suburb of Mesa.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to seeing a lot of friends that we made over the last dozen years,B次元官网网址� Wendy Caban said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 looking forward to the warmth.B次元官网网址�

But the couple, both 73, are still mulling when to leave.

B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 going to be insane on Nov. 8,B次元官网网址� Caban said. B次元官网网址淪o, weB次元官网网址檒l wait a few days and monitor the lineups and the weather.B次元官网网址�

ArizonaB次元官网网址檚 Office of Tourism says close to 1 million Canadian tourists accounted for $1 billion in spending in 2019. That plunged to 257,000 Canadians who spent $325 million last year.

R. Glenn Williamson, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 Arizona honorary consul and founder and CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council, said the numbers for tourists donB次元官网网址檛 consider longer term stays by part-time resident Canadians who spend months at a time in homes they own in Arizona B次元官网网址� as many as 200,000 additional people spending another $1.5 billion locally each year.

With some 500 Canadian companies operating in Arizona, a new wave of younger, wealthier Canadian snowbirds work part-time in the state, where they buy upscale homes and play golf, among CanadaB次元官网网址檚 most popular sports, Williamson said.

Barbara and Brian Fox of Toronto, both in their 60s, plan to keep working for their strategic communications firm when they return to the Naples area on FloridaB次元官网网址檚 Gulf Coast in March and April.

It will be the longest Florida stay so far for the couple, who have canceled at least five planned trips south during the course of the pandemic over restrictions and concerns about possible infection.

Plenty of retirees are planning to head south again as well.

They include Wilf and Lynne Burnett, who havenB次元官网网址檛 made annual trek south from their hometown in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, since the coronavirus emerged. They typically tow a 15-foot (4.5-meter) boat so they can fish and visit restaurants with docks on the bay.

Now that land border restrictions are being eliminated, the Burnetts have a three-month reservation at a Puerto Vallarta condo starting Jan. 6.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l keep an eye on the virus and if things continue to improve, weB次元官网网址檒l go,B次元官网网址� Wilf Burnett said.

Those who decide to travel at the last minute will likely find it hard to book a condo, RV park or campground.

Amid concern restrictions might keep changing, some snowbirds are making reservations for earlier in the season than usual, starting from November through early next year, said Bruce Hoban, co-founder of the 2,000-member Vacation Rental Owners and Neighbors of Palm Springs. Hoban said peak visitor times for snowbirds, who comprise about 15% of vacation rentals, are generally between February and April.

Those who come can also expect prices as much as 20% to 30% higher because of increased demand, he said.

Bobby Cornwell, executive director of the Florida and Alabama RV Parks & Campground Association, said many sites in those states were booked solid from January through March even before the new travel rules were announced. ThatB次元官网网址檚 because Americans have embraced RV travel during the pandemic, filling spots Canadian campers normally would.

Still, itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渨onderful newsB次元官网网址� Canadians can return, Cornwell said.

B次元官网网址淲e encourage all snowbirds to plan to come to Florida and make your reservations as soon as possible,B次元官网网址� he said.

B次元官网网址擜nita Snow And Terry Tang, The Associated Press