Summer 2025 was up to 30% down this season. Visitors were cautious, locals stretched their dollars, and businesses felt the strain. It wasn’t the summer anyone hoped for—but in some ways, it was surprisingly easier. I don’t buy into the idea that only numbers count. I’m a glass-half-full kind of person, and with the political unrest feeding the half-empty glass, I’d like to count a few blessings.
Blessing #1: First, the weather was a cooler summer than the past 10 years, and with that, it brought beautiful blue days perfect for hiking, biking, and watersports. And missing with the heat were fires. There were a few fires, but none of the ragers that have plagued Northern California over the past few years. Some of our northern neighbors have not been so lucky.
Blessing #2: the spillover crowds. Yes, the dollars are missing, but our sanity is still intact. Heading into September without the overwhelming fatigue will give us a bit of energy to reset for Fall and plan for Winter.
But here’s the good news: Tahoe knows transition. We’ve always lived by seasonal shifts—summer into fall, fall into winter, winter into spring. Change is our rhythm. And right now, fall is our reset button.
In a cautious economy, advertising isn’t a luxury—it’s survival. Customers are making harder choices, and if you’re not in front of them when they decide, you don’t even make the list. In a tourist-based economy, digital marketing is the most powerful way to reach people who aren’t in their usual information circles. My last article Search vs. Social lays out the buying habits of both demographics, The Planners” and The I’m here now”, and how to reach them. The businesses that invested early and kept their ads consistent reported steadier numbers, even if they weren’t record-breaking.
But not just any advertising will do. What works now is clean, trimmed-down, streamlined advertising that speaks directly to the people who are most likely to keep you afloat: loyal locals, repeat families, early-bookers who value clarity and confidence.
This is where targeting becomes critical. It’s no longer about shouting louder—it’s about speaking directly to the right ears.
Tahoe is built on seasonal resets, and fall is one of the best. It’s quieter, the pace slows, and business owners finally get a chance to breathe. That pause is powerful if you use it well.
Use fall as your reset button. What you put in place now, your messaging, your ads, your targeting, will define whether your winter is just another slow season or your strongest yet.
In times like these, waiting is the risk. Acting with clarity and intention is the reset. The businesses that use fall as a true reset will be the ones ready when winter arrives. Don’t wait for momentum—create it.
If there is a topic you’d like to hear more about by all means comment below or direct message and I’ll do my best.
Nothing better than a good question to jump into.
Reach out for a talk over coffee or a hike, I give information freely. I only ask to be paid when I do the work. tgold@bigwaterci.com
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Trina Gold
Master Creator
