Baby boomers, Canadians like Yuma's winters

It wasn't a record year for northerners wintering in Yuma's sunshine, but still they left behind warm reports of a "really good" season.

They seemed to start arriving earlier, stay longer and have a really good time, according to businesses that cater to the area's winter visitors and seasonal residents. Many of them were new faces: baby boomers who are starting to hit early retirement age and looking for fun in the sun.

They also come with greater expectations than the previous winter visitor generation, raising the notch on amenities and activities they're looking for.

No rocking chairs for them, noted Jean Harris of Harris Tours that kept extra busy all winter ferrying them hither and yon to concerts, hockey games and exotic tourist destinations.

Canadians, flush with a strong economy in the western provinces and a strong loonie against the U.S. dollar, also swelled the winter visitor ranks. They came not just to thaw out but also to snap up investment opportunities.

Recreational vehicle park managers were enthusiastic about the season.

"We had an excellent season," said Dusty Grooms, manager of Sun Vista RV Resort. "We were filled to overflowing. We were ahead of last year all winter."

The park's Canadian population definitely was up, she said, saying that more than 27 percent of the occupants were from Canada compared to 19 percent a few years ago. But she also saw more younger people in their 50s.

It was the same story at Shangri-La RV Resort, reported assistant manager Debbie Saunders. "We had a really great season. It seemed like people, especially the overnighters, stayed longer. There were a lot of new ones. They're getting younger ... in their late 50s and early 60s. Six years ago when I started, it was the World War II generation in their 70s."

It's difficult to come with hard numbers on how many winter people were here, especially since they come and go throughout the season. But the numbers were up this winter by about 5 percent over the previous year, based on a survey of 44 recreational vehicle parks conducted by Yuma Stats, which compiles a variety of statistics for subscribers.

Chris Camacho, president and CEO of Yuma Economic Development, said he's heard the total of winter visitors and residents ranged from 75,000 to 100,000.

The increase could be the result of a harsh winter in the north, but it could also reflect the first wave of retiring baby boomers, he said.

Mike Green, owner of RV World, saw a younger, first-time crowd this winter. "There were a lot of first-time buyers this year. People come to Yuma, decide it's a nice place and get excited about the lifestyle.

"It's a whole new generation of snowbirds," Green continued. "They're looking for nicer parks and amenities, Internet hookups."

Camacho agreed that quality of life is important to the baby boomers. He predicted they will be drawn to Yuma because of increased retail development, entertainment opportunities on the radar screen and the promise of new parks with "much more of a resort atmosphere."

It also helps that it's still cheaper to live here than other Sunbelt cities.

Yuma's newest RV park is such an example. Although still under development, 51 lots have sold at Palms RV Resort - "extremely above expectations," reported manager Bill Evans.

Designed to rival five-star resorts in Scottsdale and Palm Springs, Palms RV Resort will cater to those looking for a step up in amenities with a massage and facial salon, onsite fitness trainer, walking trail, putting green, lap pool for serious swimmers and play pool for the splashers, and a variety of activities such as concerts and classes.

"They were very much looking for high-end amenities," he said.

Many of the buyers were Canadians, he said.

Canadians also are turning to a more upscale type of part-time home: the park models - 400-square-foot movable resort cottages designed for part-time recreational use. Typically upscale in appearance, they often include hardwood floors, bay windows and lofts as well as cherry, oak or maple cabinetry.

At Shangri-La RV Resort, "Almost every park model we had for sale went to Canadians," Saunders said.

Winter visitors helped Arizona's park model manufacturers sell 1,245 units in 2007, a 51 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Recreational Park Trailer Industry Association. And while the economy has been tepid in recent months, a strong Canadian dollar has helped keep the cash registers ringing for park model dealers, including Wellton Park Model Sales.

"We're selling a ton of them," owner Frank Rogers said.

"A park model fits our lifestyle now," said Calvin Shaver, a retired banker from Alberta, Canada. Their park model is more spacious than their motorhome and provides a more comfortable setting for a winter home, he said.

At Sun Vista RV Resort, three-fourths of the domiciles are park models, Grooms said. "They have the ability to come and go without having to haul a big rig."


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Joyce Lobeck can be reached at jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.