Political flight: Les snowbirds vont en Afrique du Nord

One surprising winner from the Trump trade and troll war on Canada is Tunisia. As Canadian snowbirds look for alternatives to wintering in the U.S., some scan the globe for bargain opportunities. In French-speaking Quebec, that favors Francophone destinations, especially those that offer la bonne transaction and 90-day visa-free stays. A spot enjoying apparently double-digit percentage growth is Tunis, which proves cheaper than Southern Europe or the Caribbean but seems to offer comfortable-enough enclaves. It is even marketed for 15-day pickleball stays, having recently joined the sport’s international federation. Nearby Morocco has also gained international visitors. The Maghreb region of Africa is also a source of considerable immigration to Quebec, so it is difficult to isolate the recreational tourists from overall traffic volume, but of note: Casablanca has emerged, at least seasonally, as the most frequented international air route from Montreal. (Algeria and Libya remain challenging for the vacation-minded.) Given his typically dim view of such places, it is doubtful that the American president considered how his legacy might include a new “kitchen” attraction to the origin of the Arab Spring. –Sept. 7, 2026