Lake Tahoe, CA/NV…Lake Tahoe residents, community members and stakeholders interested in the responsible management of tourism and recreation are invited to take part in workshops next month to create a destination stewardship plan that will balance the needs of Lake Tahoe’s environment, businesses, visitors, and local communities. This new shared strategy will inspire all to take care of Tahoe.

A collaboration of 13 public and private sector organizations invite residents and stakeholders in the greater Tahoe region, including Truckee, Calif., to weigh in during a series of visioning workshops scheduled for May 2022.

Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate in the visioning workshops on May 16, 17, and 18 in locations around the Tahoe Basin, plus an option for Zoom.

Experts in the field of destination stewardship, including the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), and the Travel Foundation, are helping guide the process to create a shared vision and decision-making framework for sustainable management of tourism and recreation throughout the Lake Tahoe region. Additionally, the team includes South Lake Tahoe-based research firm SMG Consulting and Civitas Advisors specializing in sustainable funding solutions.

“The way people access and rely on public lands is changing. In everything from hiking to skiing we are welcoming new and more diverse users, sometimes in growing numbers.” said Erick Walker, Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. “Now is the time for us to come together to learn how we can better coordinate and improve the whole picture.”

A core team is leading the project from federal, state, county, and local governmental organizations, as well as businesses, nonprofits, and all four destination organizations that market and manage Lake Tahoe area tourism.

“This unprecedented collaboration with land managers, visitors authorities and the local community is exactly what we need right now,” said Tahoe Fund CEO and core team representative Amy Berry. “Together, we will work to develop a plan that will improve the quality of the Tahoe experience for everybody while also taking care of our extraordinary environment.”

To ensure the plan supports a shared vision for future tourism and recreation, it will draw inspiration from extensive local engagement, including two rounds of public workshops, one-on-one interviews, and focus group meetings with stakeholders including the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

The first round of workshops invites participants to identify opportunities for increasing the direct benefits of tourism and recreation, while addressing the challenges, and creating the plan’s vision and mission statements as well as key goals.

Following are the dates, locations, and times of five in-person events:

• May 16 – North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach, CA – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • Truckee citizens invited to Kings Beach and Virtual Zoom Workshop.
• May 17 – Parasol Community Foundation, Incline Village, NV – 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• May 18 – Lake Tahoe Community College, South Lake Tahoe, CA – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• May 18 – Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority office, South Shore/Stateline – 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Virtual Zoom Workshop: To be confirmed

A fifth virtual workshop will be scheduled following the May workshops. All are invited to register for a workshop, learn more about the planning process, and sign up to receive news about the project, results from workshops, and additional opportunities for feedback at StewardshipTahoe.org.

###

Project Background

The following public and private sector organizations came together during the COVID pandemic to coordinate on visitation, marketing, outdoor recreation management, and public health and safety. Successes resulting from the collaboration and the growing need to address tourism-related challenges led these organizations to advance their coordination and better manage outdoor recreation and tourism in the greater Lake Tahoe region. The partners agreed to establish a destination stewardship plan and to enlist the help of experts in the field to guide the planning process. 

• California Tahoe Conservancy
• City of South Lake Tahoe
• El Dorado County
• Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau
• USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
• Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
• Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• North Lake Tahoe Resort Association
• Tahoe Fund
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
• Washoe County
• Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California
• Visit Truckee-Tahoe

About CREST and Consulting Team

Managing Partner: CREST

The Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) is a global nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC dedicated to increasing the positive global impact of responsible tourism. CREST provides evidence-based research and analysis to governments, policymakers, tourism businesses, nonprofit organizations, and international agencies to solve the most pressing problems confronting tourism: responding to the climate crisis, conserving biodiversity and cultural heritage, addressing overtourism, and narrowing the wealth gap.

Co-Managing Partner: The Travel Foundation

The Travel Foundation is a leading global sustainable tourism organization that works in partnership with governments, businesses, and communities to develop and manage tourism to maximize its benefits for communities and the environment. Founded in 2003, it has since worked in over 30 countries around the world to create better futures for tourism destinations, accelerating change towards a more balanced tourism model through advocacy, training, demonstrating good practice, and enabling collaboration between the many tourism stakeholders.

Economic Strategists: SMG Consulting & TPS Consulting

SMG Consulting has pioneered the use of economic modeling, scenario planning and asymmetric thinking in tourism and recreation industry strategy development including a wide range of services designed to create value and improve the competitiveness of destinations.  Triple Point Strategic Consulting to provide data-driven marketing, strategic planning, and business analysis in a variety of sectors throughout the Western U.S. and Canada. Triple Point is frequently retained to develop economic forecasts and financial models.

Strategic Funding Consultant & Counsel: Civitas

Civitas’ founder was the primary author of the Property and Business Improvement District Law of 1994 and assisted with the creation of the first property-based improvement districts in California. The Civitas team’s innovative funding mechanisms have generated nearly $2 billion for over 150 clients globally. The team delivers unequaled knowledge, depth and experience to destinations and communities that seek sustainable funding solutions to fuel their futures.