Welcome to the March 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 & Marketing Updates
LTVA wins the Purpose-Driven Campaigns Award at HSMAI in New York City
Visit Lake Tahoe received Platinum and Gold at the 2025 Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International’s Adrian Awards for our “Rules to Lake By” campaign. Platinum is selected from Gold winners as the best in category, placing this work among the top purpose-driven campaigns in global travel. With appreciation to our creative partners at Noble Studios for helping bring the vision to life, and gratitude to the many community collaborators behind the work, we’re proud to represent the South Shore of Lake Tahoe on one of the industry’s biggest stages.
Juraj Sojka, Director of Tourism, represented our destination at the International Inbound Travel Association Summit 2026. During the event, he conducted more than 30 one-on-one appointments with inbound tour operators, strengthened key relationships, and created new opportunities to position our destination in the global marketplace. His active participation underscored our continued commitment to expanding international partnerships and driving inbound visitation.
Stuart Maas attended MPI Cascadia in Washington to expand Visit Lake Tahoe’s meetings and events pipeline within the Pacific Northwest market. The conference provided high-value engagement with corporate and association planners, positioning South Lake Tahoe’s full-service resort properties and boutique lodging options as competitive, experience-driven alternatives to traditional urban destinations.
Ross Bertolone joins the LTVA Team
Ross Bertolone, LTVA’s Sales & Services Manager
Having grown up in and around the Tahoe Region, Ross Bertolone brings an inherent understanding of the destination and its hospitality landscape. His career spans hotel executive leadership, group sales, event planning, and destination marketing, where he has overseen multi-department operations, driven revenue growth, and built high-performing partnerships. Outside of work, he enjoys skiing, hiking, and spending time on the lake, which gives him a firsthand appreciation for the experiences that make Lake Tahoe a world-class destination.
Visit Lake Tahoe is preparing a coordinated America 250 campaign running from April through the end of 2026, and we invite partners to participate. A Visit Lake Tahoe 250 logo is available for download and use (please share placements with us prior to publishing). The campaign will be supported across social, email, and PR, anchored by a dedicated landing page highlighting local history, events, and special offers, which will connect to both California and Nevada’s official 250 platforms. Partners are encouraged to create themed offers, menu items, or activations, whether tied to national milestones or local history, and submit them through the Visit Lake Tahoe Partner Portal for inclusion. Email Ryn Muat, Communications & PR Manager, at ryn@visitlaketahoe.com with any questions or to be included in future meetings regarding this campaign.
As LTVA marks its 40th anniversary this year, the Awe and then Some Forum is coming together as a dynamic convening of ideas, insight, and forward-looking strategy. Designed to spark meaningful conversation about the future of our destination, this year’s Forum will explore topics including:
Doubling Down on Outdoor Recreation: Travel Nevada’s Vision and What It Means for Lake Tahoe
Taking Awe to the Next Level: Visit Lake Tahoe’s new campaign
Mountain Travel Update: Nimble Resilience Amid the Turmoil
Panel: Innovative Business Development Strategies in Changing Times
And more!
The forum will be held on Tuesday, May 5, from 8:30 am to 1:30 pm at the Tahoe Blue Event Center. Doors open at 8:15 am for a continental breakfast, and the program begins at 8:45 am. Reserve your seat now here. Admission is $30 and includes breakfast, networking lunch, and parking.
South Shore in the Media
The following earned media was published this past month:
Juliana + Martin, of Tourist to Local, published content focused on winter driving tips and learning to ski. Check it out in English or Spanish.
DSEN radio in Philadelphia talked all things Visit Lake Tahoe on their Travel Fun & Tips segment.
