Big Bear Lake TBID

The Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District has been working on your behalf since April 1, 2016. These are some of the results and accomplishments Visit Big Bear has achieved.

Marketing - 2016-2020

• 40 billion earned media impressions
• 93.8 million digital impressions
• Over 5,000 media placements

In 2020

• 27.1 million impressions through KTLA broadcast advertising and on KTLA.com
• 6 million impressions on NBC San Diego and NBCsandiego.com, NBCLosAngeles.com
• 2,332 Radio spots on more than 40 stations, resulting in 21.8 million impressions
• 500,000 “over-the-top” video ads on connected devices (Amazon firestick, Roku)
• 61.9 million impressions on digital billboards in the Inland Empire
• 10.3 million impressions on Google Display Network
• 159,460 Paid Search Impressions
• 4.5 million impressions on social media
• 67,619 Youtube Video plays

Relaunch of BigBear.com

• BigBear.com was renovated in 2019, improving the mobile and visual look of the site.
• 3.8 million users visited BigBear.com
• 5.4 million sessions
• 16.4 million pageviews
• Due to Marketing and advertising from TBID funds, BigBear.com has grown to be the No. 1 source of information for visitors looking to plan their trip to Big Bear Lake.

The Visitor Center - New Location, Stronger Impact

• Visit Big Bear has enhanced the experience of our visitors by assisting more than 227,732 visitors in our Visitor Center since 2016.
• Our new location has tripled the amount of visitors Visit Big Bear staff greets on a weekly basis, totaling 98,382 since this fiscal year.
• Visit Big Bear staff have also assisted with visitor inquiries by phone, Chat and email. Staff have answered more than 100,000 calls, Chats and emails.

Tourism Occupancy Tax (TOT)

• The Tourism Occupancy Tax is an 8% tax by the City of Big Bear Lake on the rental of lodging.
• More than 30% of the City of Big Bear Lake’s revenue is funded by the TOT.
• For each dollar spent on marketing our destination, four dollars are returned to the City via TOT.
• TOT and TBID funds have grown annually by an average of 12.5% since the TBID began in 2016 – for an overall increase of 58%.
• Overall, the TBID has created a 38% ROI (Return on Investment) of additional lodging revenue from the TBID expenditures for marketing, advertising, events, etc.
• $11,582,237 in additional lodging revenue was received by TBID payers.

Keeping up with industry trends, technology, and incorporating new ways to attract and communicate with our visitors will be critical to our success. Big Bear Lake is Southern California’s Premier 4 Season Resort and the gateway to the San Bernardino National Forest.

Visit Big Bear will continue to spend the bulk of it’s marketing and advertising funds during the shoulder seasons through creative campaigns, including the Spring Adventure Season and Falltacular Celebration.

A variety of media channels are used to inspire visitation during the shoulder seasons. We will also be expanding our Social Media presence and continuing to have the #1 website in BigBear.com.

Events Sponsorship will continue to be a key piece of attracting new and old visitors. Signature Events include – Spartan Race, Fox US Open of Mountain Biking, Big Bear Lake Comedy Festival, Big Bear Lake Film Festival, Tour de Big Bear Bike Festival, Grizzly 100, Kodiak 100, Grand Fondo, Big Bear Lake Brew Festival, Special Olympics Polar Plunge, National Trails Day, Fishin for $50K, Big Bear Grill and Chill, Big Bear Chili Cookoff, and our annual 4thof July Fireworks Show.

We are especially excited about our new CARE for BIG BEAR Campaign, providing leadership for responsible and sustainable tourism in Big Bear Lake and the surrounding National Forest.

We are currently “rolling out” CARE for BIG BEAR - please join us in supporting responsible tourism.

Loren Hafen, President
Owner, Holloways Marina

Nick Lanza, First Vice President
Owner, Big Bear Vacations

Clayton Shoemaker, Second Vice President
Senior Marketing Director, Big Bear Mountain Resort

Jo Ann Cecil, Treasurer
Vice President, Destination Big Bear

Danielle Goldsmith, Director
Owner, Goldsmiths Sports

Robert Manning, Director
General Manager, Marina Resort

Christie Brewster, Director
Owner, Robinhood Resort

TBID stands for Tourism Business Improvement District.

Developed by Visit Big Bear, the Big Bear Lake Tourism Business Improvement District (BBLTBID) is a tax based program designed to provide specific benefits to payors, by funding marketing efforts for those assessed (taxed) businesses.

The current district (City of Big Bear Lake) places the assessment on lodging sales and tickets sales of Big Bear Mountain Resort. Revenue is managed by Visit Big Bear - a 501c6 non-profit destination marketing entity - who reports directly to an advisory board.

Unlike other forms of funding (like TOT), TBID funds cannot be diverted into government programs.

Want to learn more? Check out our TBID FAQ Sheet.

The landscape for destination marketing is very competitive, and history has shown that if a destination can no longer compete for top-of-mind awareness, the economy of that destination will suffer.

72% of TBIDs are formed due to a loss of city/county funding or insufficient existing funding to compete with other destinations for visitors.

The TBID funding approach has been used successfully in other destination areas throughout the country to provide the benefit of additional room night sales directly to payors.

The City is responsible for collecting the assessment on a monthly or quarterly basis (including any delinquencies, penalties and interest) from each lodging and ski resort business located in the boundaries of the BBLTBID. The City shall take all reasonable efforts to collect the assessments from each lodging and ski resort business.

Visit Big Bear spends the bulk of it’s marketing investment during the shoulder seasons through creative campaigns, including the Falltacular and Adventure Season! A variety of channels are used to inspire visitation at the right time to the right audience.

These funds are stable, dedicated funds for destination marketing that allow local businesses to have a greater direct impact on how marketing dollars are being used to promote the destination.

Unlike other forms of funding (say TOT), TBID money cannot be used by government programs.

The BBLTBID immediate goal is to increase overnight bookings within the City of Big Bear Lake and increase lift ticket sales at Big Bear Mountain Resort.

Marketing programs implemented and managed by Visit Big Bear are designed to increase overnight stays and promote assessed businesses as destinations for tourism, events, and commerce.

Revenue is managed by Visit Big Bear - a 501c6 non-profit destination marketing entity - who reports directly to an advisory board.

Visit Big Bear serves as the BBLTBID’s Owners’ Association. The Owners’ Association is charged with managing funds and implementing programs in accordance with the Plan, and must provide annual reports to the City Council.

Unlike other forms of funding (like TOT), TBID money cannot be used by government programs.

Lodging Payors: The annual assessment rate for lodging businesses is three percent (3%) of gross short-term (stays less than 31 days) room rental revenue. Based on the benefit received, assessments will not be collected on stays of more than thirty (30) consecutive days. Assessments pursuant to the BBLTBID shall not include room rental revenue resulting from stays pursuant to contracts executed prior to April 1, 2016.

Ski Resorts: The annual assessment rate for ski resort businesses is two percent (2%) of lift ticket and annual pass revenue. Lift tickets and annual passes that are valid at multiple ski resorts will be assessed for that portion of the sales price of the lift ticket or annual pass that is attributable to the ski resort(s) within the BBLTBID boundary.

Are you an Assessed Property?
Get your TBID assessed property on BigBear.com here.