Visit Truckee-Tahoe convened Truckee Property Managers at Lift Truckee for the Summer 2025 Property Managers Meeting on June 3, 2025. Led by VTT CEO Colleen Dalton and VTT Director of Tourism Jackie Calvert, the meeting provided Property Managers the opportunity to network, share updates from the spring, learn about Visit Truckee-Tahoe, and hear about legislative updates that affect the Truckee lodging industry.
Meeting Attendees
Properties:
- Kerrie Racicot, Tahoe Truckee Vacation Properties, VTT Board Chair
- Dana Moraru, Tahoe Signature Properties, VTT Board Member
- Jim Winterberger, Tahoe Getaways
- Nicole Bradley, Granite Peak Management
- Monique Kohler, East West Hospitality
- Lindsey Nieman, Tahoe Cohost Collective
- Lauren Kilbourne, Tahoe Truckee Homes
Absent:
- Tahoe Alpenglow Properties
- Rentals at Donner Lake Realty
- Tahoe Exclusive Vacation Rentals
- Tahoe Mountain Properties
- Tahoe Luxury Properties
- Tahoe Alpenglow Properties
- Tahoe Mountain Club
- Tahoe Truckee Homes
- Vacasa
VTT Staff:
- Colleen Dalton, CEO
- Jackie Calvert, Director of Tourism Management
- Tracy Weingard, Director of Brand & Marketing
Town of Truckee / Keep Truckee Green:
- Carmen Lopez, Sustainability Program Analyst
- Erin Brewster, Sustainability Program Manager
Agenda & Presentation
- Town of Truckee: Water Campaign Updates (see below for recap)
- Roundtable: Industry News & Updates (see below for recap)
- Jackie: Macro & Micro Tourism Trends (VTT, Visit California, etc.) - Presented a snapshot of the current tourism landscape, noting national economic uncertainty and evolving consumer behavior. Outlined Visit Truckee-Tahoe’s strategic focus on increasing overnight visitation, including key marketing initiatives for FY 25/26, enhanced tourism advocacy through improved tracking and reporting, and ongoing efforts in destination stewardships. View full presentation here.
- Colleen: STR Ordinance Progress - Update on the STR Ordinance review process, highlighting progress made through the Property Manager Focus Group’s research and analysis.
Keep Truckee Green: Truckee Mountain Filtered Water Campaign Recap
- Campaign Overview: The Keep Truckee Green team (Carmen and Erin) presented their Truckee Mountain Filtered campaign, a collaborative effort with TDPUD to promote Truckee’s clean, high-quality local tap water as a sustainable alternative to single-use bottled water.
- New Logo: The Truckee Mountain Filtered logo was unveiled as a central branding element, designed to help unify messaging and build awareness of Truckee’s water quality and refill options.
- Filling Station Map: A map of public water filling stations was shared — a useful tool for visitors and locals alike (available in the presentation deck).
- Merchant Participation: Stickers are available for businesses and property managers to indicate they offer water refill stations on-site.
- Preferred Materials: Property managers showed a clear preference for a digital brand kit — including logos, social copy, and guest-facing talking points — instead of traditional physical swag.
- Print Collateral: Some interest was expressed in printed postcards or signage to educate guests on the origin and benefits of Truckee’s tap water; the Town is open to designing and printing these if VTT can help distribute. Keep Truckee Green will design and print postcards and make both the digital brand kit and postcard available within the next two months.
- Branded Water Bottles: Custom reusable bottles with the campaign logo are in early planning stages but won’t be available until next fiscal year due to trademark and budget constraints.
- Community Activation: The campaign will be visible at local events (e.g., Truckee Thursdays) through mobile refill stations and community outreach.
- Next Steps: A Truckee Mountain Filtered website is expected to launch soon, which will serve as the central hub for campaign messaging and materials.
- Contact: For digital assets, stickers, or further involvement, email sustainability@townoftruckee.com.
Roundtable Discussion // High-Level Takeaways
Market Performance & Trends
- Spring and early summer bookings are exceeding expectations for many, though June average daily rates (ADR) are generally down.
- Luxury rentals have seen significant rate compression.
- Some managers are observing longer lengths of stay but also shorter booking lead times, likely due to market oversupply.
- Fall pacing appears similar to last year across the board.
Guest Behavior
- Travelers are becoming more price-sensitive, frequently negotiating even small discounts and displaying more frugal, deal-seeking behavior.
- Some managers to consider airline-style pricing models (e.g., charging for additional guests) though there’s growing pushback on fees.
- Cancellations are increasing; guests are being more cautious with spending.
Operational Adjustments
- Many property managers are responding by lowering nightly rates to stay competitive and offering promotions to drive occupancy.
- One manager is testing a hybrid revenue management model (part in-house, part outsourced) to determine the most effective approach.
- Collecting guest emails more strategically (e.g., via Wi-Fi login).
External Factors
- Local road construction and traffic concerns may affect summer visitation.
- A number of properties are off-market or for sale, attributed to factors such as California out-migration, insurance issues, and owner lifestyle changes (e.g., rental fatigue or aging out of use).
Booking Sources & Event Strategy
- Some managers are successfully absorbing overflow from local resorts (e.g., due to venue closures).
- New events and partnerships are being developed to support year-round occupancy.
Cancellation Policies
- Most follow a 30-day cancellation window, with some variation (e.g., 14-day or 60-day), often differing for holiday periods.
