Stakeholder Information
Our core teams are working closely with government and health officials in Placer County, local Business Associations and Small Business Owners to help manage the COVID-19 crisis. We are also working with our neighbors in Truckee and South Lake Tahoe to ensure consistent visitation messaging is distributed while also collaborating on key resources for local communities.
Knowing that real-time information is critical to our business community and residents, we are disseminating information through NLTRA channels: newsletter, blog and social pages. Please make sure you're signed up to receive our blog posts with business recovery resources and our newsletter for direct communications to your inbox.
Business Impact Survey Results
Community Stakeholder Roundtable Notes
Our Approach
As one of two Destination Management Organizations for North Lake Tahoe (Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau being the other), promoting travel to the region has shifted dramatically since the onset of COVID-19. Our combined goal is to ensure full-time residents are safe and business recovery tools are in place and communicated. In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our regional communities, NLTRA response tactics have included the following:
Visitor Messaging: Immediately following the Placer County Shelter in Place directive on March 19, the North Lake Tahoe destination (NLTRA + IVCBVB) issued a press release asking all travel plans to be rescheduled. Stay Home messaging was also shared through the GoTahoeNorth.com consumer website, newsletter and social media channels. All paid media went on hold March 16. A secondary press release was issued to drive market media on April 2 along with video messages from Placer County District 5 Supervisor, Cindy Gustafson, President & CEO of Tahoe Forest Health System, Harry Weis, and Jeffrey Hentz, CEO of North Lake Tahoe Resort Association re-stating that Shelter in Place and Stay Home directives need to be followed for the safety of our community, even for second homeowners. We have seen placements in Reno, Sacramento and Bay Area media outlets from this effort.
Local Advocacy Efforts
- A stakeholder group was organized right away to ensure ongoing response efforts were coordinated. This included the NLTRA Board of Directors Executive Committee, NLTRA CEO and Communications Director, and key representatives from Placer County, including District 5 Supervisor, Cindy Gustafson, Economic Development leaders, and the local team based in Tahoe City. We have spoken 3 times per week since mid-March.
- A business and community resource page was added to the NLTRA.org website outlining recovery programs, public health directives, ways to support small businesses, and workforce/employee tools.
NLTRA has issued direct communications once per week with new information for the local business community; the blog and Facebook pages are also updated daily.
- NLTRA has facilitated two stakeholder calls, the first focused on public health and tourism resources, the second focused on securing a financial lifeline through COVID-19. The third phase of these calls are taking place through the business industry roundtables. Information from these calls will be compiled into recommendations for Placer County to help inform reopening policies and be utilized in business readiness toolkits.
- A Stronger Together video series was created to share messages of positivity with the local community. Videos were created on behalf of the local emergency workforce, school district, community and public agencies, and business leaders. The effort has now moved to encouraging community members to upload their own messages either on personal social channels or through the #TahoeLove community page on NLTRA.org. If you have driven through Kings Beach or Tahoe City recently, you have likely seen Stronger Together signage which is a wonderful demonstration of unity.
- A business impact survey was sent to local businesses to determine economic impacts as a result of COVID-19. We will distribute results on the NLTRA blog.
- A gift card initiative was launched on the NLTRA.org website where a collection of regional businesses who offer a gift card product are listed. This was an effort to put dollars into the hands of our local business community right now, vs. waiting for North Lake Tahoe to reopen. We have seen media placements in the Bay Area and Reno to highlight this program.
- We are also working on visitor readiness communications and discussing collaborative reopening communications with our regional DMO partners.
