Blog | LTVA

Tahoe South 4.17.12

2012-04-17T21:34:25+00:00

Spring means….the annual Tourism Forum, presented to you by TahoeChamber.org, The South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts and of course, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. This one is one not to be missed with two dynamic speakers giving you some great insight into Tourism Trends. Ralf Garrison, owner of MTRiP (Mountain Travel Research Program), will set the global, national and regional travel trend stage, focusing on the supply and demand issue and how businesses can compete when the customer has so many options to choose from. Dr. Emilyn Sheffield, from Chico State University, has insights into millennium and ethnic travel behavior…do you have what these travelers want and will buy? $15 gets you two hours of information and a Tahoe Chamber mixer afterwards, at which, in case you’re looking for a young, enthusiastic CSU tourism student intern, you’ll have the opportunity to meet. 3-5pm at the Cabaret Theatre at Harvey’s Casino Resort for the Forum and Hard Rock Café generously hosting the mixer.

And while I have your attention, one last plug for the Genoa Cowboy Poetry Festival, slated for April 27-29. This is a unique, cultural event during our shoulder season when all of our outdoor recreation activities are not yet in full swing. A scenic drive to historic Genoa, NV with a day full of authentic western color and great music—for a more than affordable $10 ticket—will no doubt delight your guests. www.genoacowboypoetry.com

See you at the Tourism Forum!

Carol Chaplin

Executive Director, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

Tahoe South 2.21.12

2012-02-21T20:55:11+00:00

In an unprecedented meeting, the LTVA Board of Directors and Marketing Advisory Committee, the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority Board of Directors and the South Tahoe Tourism Improvement District Board of Directors were invited to participate in a strategic planning session that would reset goals for the organization through 2015. In addition to these bodies, we also had attendance from the South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts, the South Tahoe Lodging Association, DuncanChannon Advertising Agency, Noble Studios and Weidinger Public Relations. Other guests included Directors from the TahoeChamber and from Douglas County Commissioners. The reason that this meeting was so significant is that it represented all of the entities that fund the LTVA as well as agencies that support LTVA efforts.

The primary purpose of the 5-hour session was to review the LTVA’s work plan from 2008 to the present as it related to the Strategic Plan adopted three years ago and to gain consensus as to the LTVA’s priorities and focus going forward for the next three years. For some of the participants, the review was an opportunity to understand better how the organization functions, what the primary goals have been and how we continue to support the community destination marketing efforts through 2015. For some, it was the first opportunity to discuss face-to-face how funds that their respective constituencies contribute to LTVA should be directed through 2015.

For brevity’s sake, the following were agreed to be our priorities for the next few years:

Advertising (primarily online/interactive)
Special Events
Public Relations (with a healthy dose of Social Media)
Sales and Visitors Centers

Subcommittees will be formed from the above-mentioned groups and will work with staff to establish policies, processes and action plans. Recommendations from these committees will return to the funding organizations for review and adoption, with the LTVA Board of Directors being the final stop in the approval process.

Carol Chaplin, Executive Director

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

Happy New Year and wishes for a rebounding 2012!

2012-01-12T02:27:38+00:00

Happy New Year and wishes for a rebounding 2012! As you can see, the LTVA’s new year resolutions are already in play with a new brand image and two websites to show it off. We invite you to spend some time on both www.ltva.org and on www.tahoesouth.com and provide some feedback. While we appreciate your comments, we also appreciate your patience as we continue to make some tweaks.

Another resolution was to have a winter message in Northern California. First time ever we are big and bold and in your face with two outdoor billboards, one in San Francisco, approaching the Bay Bridge on Highway 80 (5,624,640 impressions over 12 weeks), and one on Highway 50 in Sacramento that will catch the attention of more than 1 million eyeballs over 8 weeks. Six articulated busses on busy San Francisco routes are busy reminding our drive market that we’re ready to show them a good winter time (4,842,000 impressions over 6 weeks). More to come on the social media and public relations components that will support this effort in the next few months.

Speaking of winter, we’re all enjoying the sun, but missing the glory of it against new, sparkling snow. The LTVA and some winter partners got together last week to strategize on a short term reaction to the growing perception that we have no skiing and riding and that our resorts are closed. Talking points were issued to businesses as a tool for front line staffs through the TahoeChamber.org. Media invites went out to a select group to come and experience a great day on the mountain, and a Facebook trivia contest to win a vacation package with lift tickets is creating a buzz amongst our 100,000 plus fans. Our partner organizations, Ski Lake Tahoe and the Regional Marketing Committee, are working in concert to keep the message out there that we are open for winter business.

Circling back to the holidays, how did your guests like the Heavenly Holidays events in the Heavenly Village? Did the SnowGlobe event help your business? If so, please drop a line to Nancy Kerry at the City of South Lake Tahoe. From my perspective, good on ya, City for a great first effort, and we’re on board for any support we can offer for round two.

Carol Chaplin, Executive Director

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority