Geotourism Update 4-24-2025

Accelerating Geotourism for a Thriving Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is one of the most awe-inspiring places on Earth—but its beauty is fragile, and its future depends on those who visit. Tahoe’s stunning beauty is shaped by its rare geography and delicate watershed. 63 creeks feed the lake—each one a wildlife corridor, vital to the bears, birds, and ecosystems that make this place so alive. But every year, 15 million visitors risk overwhelming what they came to experience.

At Sustain Tahoe, we believe visitors are the key for sustaining Tahoe . It begins with connection.
Connection leads to caring. And caring leads to stewardship.
Geotourism is travel that celebrates and sustains the unique character of a place: its landscape, culture, wildlife, and community.

That’s why we’re here.
Sustain Tahoe works with the tourism industry to transform visitors into allies through experiences that deepen connection—so that people don’t just take pictures of Tahoe, they take care of Tahoe.
Let’s create a new kind of tourism—where loving a place means learning how to protect it.

National Geographics Geotourism Survey

* Indicates required field

So, how “Geotourism” Is your destination?
answer each question with: 1=not at all 2= somewhat 3= fair 4= good 5= very well

1. Integrity of place: how well have you developed and improved the distinctive locale, natural, cultural heritage and local pride of your region? *

2. International codes: How well do you adhere to World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics principles? *

3. Market selectivity: How well are your market segments likely to appreciate, respect, and disseminate info.? *

4. Market diversity: Do you have a full range of appropriate food and lodging, appealing to entire Geotourism demographic spectrum to maximize economic resiliency over both the short and long term? *

5. Tourist satisfaction: Are visitors taking home vacation stories that provide continual demand ? *

6. Community involvement: Is your tourism based on the area’s nature, history, art, community and culture? *

7. Community benefit: How well do business strategies create economic social benefits to local communities? *

8. Protection and enhancement of destination appeal: Are businesses encouraged to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture? *

9. Land use: Do you have a strategy that helps business anticipate development pressures, with techniques to prevent undesired overdevelopment degradation? *

10. Conservation of resources: How well do your regulations encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption and water usage? *

11. Planning: How well do local regulations recognize and respect immediate economic needs w/o sacrificing long-term character and the Geotourism potential? *

12. Interactive interpretation: Do your current tourism attractions engage both visitors and hosts in learning about the place and encourage residents to show off the natural and cultural heritage of their communities, so that tourists gain a richer experience and residents develop pride in their locales? *

13. Evaluation Do you have a stakeholder group that provides annual evaluation meeting? *

Name *

First

Last

Email *

Submit

Your Geotourism Score = _______

Grade:

D) 13 to 26 – You will need an Asset Assessment to Identify Geotourism assets in your region

C) 26 to 39 – You have some principles working in your favor, but may need to enroll more of your community

B) 39 to 52 – Ready to develop the connections you have

A) 52 to 65 – Excellent job! May benefit from new ways to PROMOTE and SUSTAIN.

Geotourism

What is Geotourism:
https://www.slideshare.net/jacquiechandler/geotourism-explained

Who is doing it well:
https://www.slideshare.net/jacquiechandler/geotourism-scores-115-top-world-destinations

How we demonstrated Geotourism:
Lake Tahoe's new currency from Jacquie Chandler

How to create Geotourism Adventures:
https://www.slideshare.net/secret/ynOhRt5SQJcM3p

In order to build more local fluency, we converted our Tahoe Geotourism Expo into a learn-by-doing curriculum below. Please review the DRAFT Geotourism Course and let us know how it might serve your individual, business or resort mgt. needs. We look forward to your feedback

DRAFT Geotourism Course

Thanks to all who hosted and participated during the Stewardship Congress and the 4 Tahoe Expositions of Stewardship that lead by example (Tahoe Expo).

This course represents the next phase of our mission to help the region more fully realize sustainable economic, environmental and social prosperity.