In 2024, Truckee’s tourism economy continues to be in a period of stabilization after the peak visitation years that followed COVID-19. Visitor spending flattened, and the market began to rebalance, signaling a return to more typical travel patterns. While growth was modest, the latest data reveal continued strength in overnight visitation and spending, reaffirming tourism’s critical role in the local economy.
Visit Truckee-Tahoe hired Dean Runyan and Associates to prepare the annual report on the Economic Impact of Travel in Truckee. The report, which was published in May, 2025 looked at data from calendar year 2024 to measure direct and total travel impacts including visitor spending, employment and earnings, taxes and fees, travel activity trends and overnight visitor details.
Visitor Spending Trends
- Total Visitor Spending: Increased slightly to $245.7 million, up from $243.9 million in 2023.
- Overnight vs. Day Visitors: Overnight (paid) lodging visitors continued to be the primary economic drivers, accounting for approximately 70.2% of total spending.
Visitor Behavior & Accommodation Trends
As Truckee’s tourism economy steadies, traveler preferences are revealing a nuanced shift. While overall spending remains strong, the data shows subtle changes in how and where visitors choose to stay—and how those choices impact the local economy. Here’s how spending across accommodation types and visitor categories changed year-over-year:
- Hotels and Motels: Visitor spending increased from $64.4 million in 2023 to $67.8 million in 2024, a 5.3% rise. This rebound suggests a renewed interest in traditional lodging options.
- Short-Term Rentals (STRs): Spending decreased slightly from $107.1 million to $104.7 million, a -2.3% change. This signals a potential softening after several high-growth years in the STR market.
- Private Homes (VFR - Visiting Friends & Relatives): Spending rose modestly from $22.6 million to $22.8 million (+0.8%), showing that travel to see friends and family remains a steady, reliable component of Truckee’s visitor base.
- Seasonal Homes (Second Homes): Spending increased by 0.8%, from $14.0 million to $14.1 million, reinforcing the continued role of part-time residents in the visitor economy.
- Day Travel: Up 1.7% year-over-year, with spending growing from $35.9 million to $36.5 million. Day visitors remain a consistent presence, though their impact is significantly smaller than that of overnight guests.
How Visitor Dollars Flow Through the Local Economy
With 70% of total visitor spending in 2024 coming from guests who stayed in paid lodging—hotels, motels, and short-term vacation rentals (STVRs)—Truckee’s tourism economy continues to be anchored by overnight visitors. These guests not only contribute directly through accommodation fees but also generate significant secondary impacts across local businesses. In 2024, overall visitor spending increased slightly, rising from $243.9 million to $245.7 million. While modest, this uptick reflects a market that is leveling out after post-pandemic highs.
Here’s how that $245.7 million in total visitor spending breaks down:
- Accommodations: Spending totaled $70.3 million, down slightly (-2.1%) from 2023. This softening aligns with broader flattening in overnight visitor growth and slight declines in STR activity.
- Food Service (restaurants and dining): One of the few sectors to see growth, rising to $43.3 million, a +8.3% increase year-over-year. This suggests that dining remains a strong part of the Truckee visitor experience.
- Food Stores (groceries and convenience): $50.9 million, up 1.8% from 2023 which saw $50 million.
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: $21.5 million saw a 5.3% jump from 2023 indicating visitors continue to show interest in experiences.
- Retail Sales (shopping, souvenirs, gear): $39.9 million, down 4.1% from 2023, suggesting that visitors are reducing or watching their discretionary income spending.
- Local Transportation & Gas: $19.9 million
The presence of overnight, paying guests ripples through the local economy—supporting everything from coffee shops and grocery stores to outfitters, gas stations, and recreation. These guests tend to spend more, and explore deeper, making them foundational to Truckee’s economic vitality.
Employment and Earnings
Tourism remains a vital pillar of the local economy—not just through direct spending, but through the jobs and wages it helps sustain.
- Jobs Supported: Tourism-related employment rose to 1,670 jobs in 2024, a 4.4% increase from 1,600 jobs in 2023.
- Earnings: Total direct earnings from tourism reached $63.7 million, a 7.7% increase from 2023.
- Accommodations & Food Services: Made up 62.9% of all travel-supported jobs, and saw a 10.6% increase in direct earnings, the largest growth across all sectors.
- Arts, Entertainment & Recreation: Held steady in jobs but saw a 7.4% increase in earnings.
- Retail: Stayed flat in employment and experienced a minor -0.2% decline in direct earnings, the only sector to see a drop.
For the detailed report from Dean Runyan and Associates, refer to the full report here.
