A statewide movement with Visit California grows in a vibrant Southern Californian mountain town, proving visitors can leave a positive footprint
BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- With nearly 7 million annual visitors and only 6,000 residents, Big Bear Lake stands as a powerful symbol of how tourism can both challenge and strengthen small mountain communities.
Now, in a pivotal moment for responsible tourism, Visit Big Bear has joined Kind Traveler's Every Stay Gives Back™ program, a statewide responsible travel initiative supported by Visit California that empowers travelers to make a tangible, positive impact on the communities they visit – helping destinations thrive in balance with nature.
Why Now: Travelers Demand More Purposeful Trips
Recent research underscores a profound shift in traveler expectations:
- According to Booking.com's 2025 Travel & Sustainability Report, 73% of travelers say they want the money they spend to go back into the local community, while 84% say sustainability influences their travel decisions.
- The MMGY 2025 Portrait of American Travelers® study similarly reports that Americans are traveling more in 2025 but are increasingly prioritizing sustainability and experiential value, even amid rising costs.
In a time when climate action and community resilience are being tested worldwide, this partnership reflects a growing movement of destinations stepping up to ensure tourism is not only sustainable – but regenerative.
A Statewide Model for Responsible Travel
The Visit Big Bear partnership builds upon Kind Traveler's statewide collaboration with Visit California, whose leadership has activated a growing network of nine destination partners — from Los Angeles Tourism, Visit Oceanside, Visit Greater Palm Springs, Sonoma County Tourism, and Visit San Luis Obispo, to Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority, Visit Berkeley, and beyond.
Together, these destinations — alongside more than 100 lodging and nonprofit partners throughout the state — are transforming travel into a financial force for good, directly supporting environmental restoration, community well-being, disaster recovery, and animal welfare across California.
Since launching in September 2023, the Every Stay Gives Back program has raised over $1.5 million in donations for community and environmental causes, including marine mammal care, forest cleanups, youth education, and ocean conservation — all transparently tracked through Kind Traveler's Impact Dashboards, which make giving visible and measurable.
How Every Stay Gives Back in Big Bear
Through this new collaboration, travelers staying with participating Big Bear Lake lodging partners will support local causes with every overnight stay. A portion of each booking will support either:
- Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo, which rehabilitates and releases injured or orphaned wildlife while providing lifelong sanctuary for those unable to survive in the wild; or
- Care For Big Bear, a community-wide effort encouraging stewardship through trail and shoreline cleanups, dark-sky preservation, and educational programs that protect the area's natural beauty.
Even small actions make a big difference: a $10 donation can feed a hawk for three days or fund supplies for a community trail cleanup along Big Bear Lake.
"Travelers today want their presence to matter," said Jessica Blotter, CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler. "Data from Booking.com and MMGY shows that travelers are not only more aware of their footprint—they're actively seeking ways to make their trips meaningful. But awareness alone isn't enough. Impact has to be easy, transparent, and built into the travel experience itself."
That's exactly what the Every Stay Gives Back™ partnership in Big Bear delivers: a simple, measurable way for travelers to turn overnight stays into tangible good for wildlife, nature, and community.
Travis Scott, CEO of Visit Big Bear, agrees. "With nearly seven million visitors arriving in a community of just six thousand, every act of stewardship matters," he said. "This partnership gives our guests a way to directly protect the mountain landscapes and wildlife they come here to enjoy. It's about turning appreciation into action."
Big Bear Lodging Partners Giving Back
Participating lodging partners include:
- A Chalet – Rustic to luxury cabins supporting Care for Big Bear and local hospitality internships.
- Big Bear Lakefront Cabins – Lakeside retreats supporting Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo.
- Sessions Retreat & Hotel – A wellness-inspired lodge giving back to Care for Big Bear.
- Awesome Vacation Homes – Boutique rentals donating to Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo.
- Big Bear Vacations – The destination's longest-running rental company supporting Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo.
- Kind Cabineer – A woman-and-veteran-owned cabin collection supporting Friends of the Big Bear Alpine Zoo.
This collaboration marks a milestone in California's leadership in sustainable tourism, demonstrating how local communities, state agencies, and private partners can work together to create measurable, positive change.
To start planning your Big Bear Lake getaway and #TravelKindly, visit:
https://www.kindtraveler.com/content/visit-big-bear
IMAGERY: PHOTO GALLERY {additional imagery available by request}
Media Contacts:
Kind Traveler: Brianne Nemiroff, [email protected]
Visit Big Bear: Koleen Hamblin, [email protected]
About Kind Traveler:
Kind Traveler is an internationally recognized, regenerative travel platform that turns everyday trips into opportunities for measurable community impact. Through its Every Stay Gives Back and Every Adventure Gives Back programs, a portion of each booking supports local nonprofits that advance environmental, community, and animal welfare initiatives. Since 2016, this women- and veteran-owned public benefit corporation has partnered with hotels and destinations in 25 countries, supporting 100+ vetted charities aligned with the UN Global Goals. Kind Traveler has raised over $1.4 million for local causes and was named the 2025 California Travel Association Sustainability and Stewardship Award winner. The award-winning model has also been recognized by Fast Company, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler, Newsweek, Lufthansa Innovation Hub, and the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). You can learn more over on www.KindTraveler.com.
About Visit Big Bear
Visit Big Bear welcomes nearly 7.5 million visitors annually who explore its 823,826 acres of national forests, a 22-mile-long freshwater lake, and a unique alpine setting. Located two hours from Los Angeles, the four-season destination sits at 6,752 ft. (2,058 meters), offering 300 average days of sunshine, a vibrant ski season with two resorts, and 3,100+ unique lodgings from modest A-frames to lakefront resorts. Located in San Bernardino County, approximately 105 mi./ 169 km., northeast of the Los Angeles basin, Big Bear's gateway airports include Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Ontario International Airport (ONT), Palm Springs International Airport (PSP), and John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana (SNA). Visit Big Bear is a non-profit destination marketing organization designed to enhance the community's economic vitality by increasing tourism revenue. For more information, go to www.visitbigbear.com.
Media Contact
Jessica Blotter, Kind Traveler, 1 6195192437, [email protected], https://www.kindtraveler.com/
Press, Kind Traveler, [email protected], www.kindtraveler.com
SOURCE Kind Traveler
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