PHOENIX (AP) — This may be a good winter for tourism and recreational vehicle parks in Arizona because signs indicate snowbirds are returning.
RV parks have had years of declining visitors.
Mesa RV park operators say winter bookings are up and few are canceling with one park reporting 95 percent occupancy.
Some of the reasons for the turnaround include a stronger Canadian dollar and lower gas prices.
So why the fuss over snowbirds? A study conducted of 300,000 winter visitors in the Phoenix-area six years ago by Arizona State University found they spent about $1 billion on food, entertainment and lodging not to mention paying taxes on gas and liquor.
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Information from: The Arizona Republic, http://www.azcentral.com
