Table 1 Synthesis of travel-related decision-making factors considered by Canadian international retirement migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic
How this factor usually motivates people to participate in international retirement migration (as per Pickering et al., 2019) | How this factor motivated Canadians to participate in international retirement migration during the COVID-19 pandemic | How this factor deterred Canadians from participating in international retirement migration during the COVID-19 pandemic | |
|---|---|---|---|
The Destination | Having access to a preferred climate that brings health benefits and associated amenities | Having access to a preferred climate that brings health benefits and associated amenities | Local news reporting framing the destination as risky; High COVID-19 case counts; Perceiving a lack of preventative public health protocols in the destination |
The People | Developing new social networks; The potential for participating in new cultural practices; Spending time with people from home while abroad | Maintaining established social networks in the destination; Greater opportunities to socialize safely in a warmer climate | Protecting personal health and those of other Canadians by avoiding travel abroad during the closure of the land border and requests to avoid non-essential international travel |
The Cost | Affordable cost of living, including accommodations and health care, in the destination | Maintaining property investments in the destination | Inaccessibility of affordable travel health insurance that included COVID-19 coverage |
The Movement | Ease of travel and few or no regulatory barriers to long-stay visits | Viewing travel as essential despite land border closure and requests to avoid non-essential international travel | Viewing the closure of the land border and requests to avoid non-essential international travel as absolute barriers to travel |