Welcome to the June edition of the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority’s South Shore Bulletin. This newsletter highlights tourism trends, strategies, initiatives, and programs that increase visitor awareness, support our community and environment, and strengthen our economy.

Sales Update

Attendees at the S.P.O.R.T.S Invitational, held at the Tahoe Blue Event Center in May.

In May, LTVA’s Stuart Maas, Senior Director of Marketing, attended the Taste of California Roadshow series in Washington D.C and Atlanta to meet with top tier meeting planners from the mid-Atlantic and Southeast region alongside other California DMOs & CVBs.

LTVA also hosted the 2025 S.P.O.R.T.S. Invitational, which brought together top sports tourism professionals for an invite-only conference focused on connection and collaboration. The event featured one-on-one appointments, networking, and receptions at the Tahoe Blue Event Center. Special thanks to Caesars Entertainment and Harrah’s Lake Tahoe for their outstanding hospitality, and to the Tahoe Blue Event Center for highlighting South Lake Tahoe’s growing reputation as a premier sports destination.

Maas and Kevin Boryczki, General Manager of the Tahoe Blue Event Center, attended the inaugural Great 8 Sports Alliance FAM Tour & Rights Holder Summit in Springfield, Missouri. Designed to foster collaboration among destination representatives and sports event rights holders, the summit featured facility tours, networking, and 20 one-on-one marketplace appointments.

eTSY Award

Left to Right: B.C. LeDoux (Noble Studios), Zeek Coleman (Tourism Economics), Stuart Maas (LTVA),
Chuck Davidson (Tourism Economics)

We’re proud to share that LTVA’s Awe and then Some campaign was awarded the eTSY Award for Data-Driven Marketing at this year’s e-Tourism Summit. This recognition honors our strategic use of data to better understand visitor behavior, guide sustainable tourism messaging, and deliver more effective campaigns. Big thanks to Noble Studios and our partners who help make this work measurable, thereby maximizing the impact of our efforts.

Awe and then Some Forum

Attendees at the Awe and then Some Forum at the Tahoe Blue Event Center

On May 13, LTVA hosted its annual Awe and then Some Forum at the Tahoe Blue Event Center. With a dynamic lineup of speakers—including Caroline Beteta of Visit California and experts from Noble Studios and Blue Room Research—the half-day event brought together local partners for thoughtful conversations on the future of tourism, transit solutions, and innovation at the South Shore. The event included a panel discussion on regional mobility and a look inside the evolving strategies at the Tahoe Blue Event Center. View the presentation slide decks here. If you attended and have not yet completed the brief feedback survey, please do so here.

Local Updates

LTVA’s Explore Tahoe Visitor Center in the Heavenly Village is hosting an Open House, on Wednesday, June 25. Please plan to have your new and existing front line staff drop in sometime that day.
American Century Championship preparations are in full swing. View this year’s players here and the clear bag policy as well as prohibited items here. LTVA has contracted with the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition to provide complimentary bike valet again this year. This free service will be available Wednesday through Sunday starting at 7 am each day.
Gastromaniac was recognized by a prestigious Italian restaurant guide – congratulations!
Tahoe Blue Event Center conference information (approximate attendee count and on-your-own meal periods) for June has been posted to the Partner Portal. If you need assistance logging in, contact Ryn Muat, at ryn@visitlaketahoe.com.

Industry Insights

Three emerging booking trends you can’t ignore in 2025 | Travel Daily News
Social media is the modern-day travel agent | Axios
US to Lose $12.5 Billion in International Travel Spending in 2025 | TravelPulse
Tourism Ecosystem report published | Travel Nevada

South Shore in the Media

The following earned media was published this past month:

Lake Tahoe got a shoutout in Good Housekeeping’s 40 of the Most Underrated Summer Destinations in the United States
@The_Gretaway visited the South Shore from Australia.
Phoenix Mag recognized Lake Tahoe as one of the top five summer getaways for this year.
Kiva Beach is nominated for USA TODAY Reader’s Choice Award Best Dog-Friendly Beach – cast your vote between now and June 23.

The South Shore Bulletin is brought to you by the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, powered by the South Lake Tahoe Tourism Improvement District and the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority.