After a slow spring for Lake Tahoe-area businesses that rely on tourism to survive, it is now clear throughout the region that the tourists are back. That means many of those shops and restaurants that were struggling during the travel ban in April and May are now booming."It was sort of like, it went from virtually nothing to a swarm," Tahoe Chamber CEO Steve Teshara said. "It’s a double-edged sword because you like to be busy, but you like to have kind of a steady flow. And then when you get overwhelmed and you’re limited to a certain outside dining area, and more people want to come, and you’ve got to say, 'I’m sorry, you’ll have to wait.'"Sprouts Café has been in South Lake Tahoe for 30 years, and owner Tyler Cannon said this year is unlike any other. “Quite honestly, here we’re almost at 100% of business," Cannon said. "I think the town is exceptionally busy.” Cannon said he shut down for a full month to change his business model and adapt to new health department regulations. “I guess we’re fortunate. The town is based on the service industry. At the same time, there are many concerns just about the crowding,” he said. Residents are concerned the number of COVID-19 cases in South Lake Tahoe will continue to rise. They are also worried about tourists who refuse to wear masks. El Dorado County is currently not on California's COVID-19 watchlist, but it is inching closer. A fact that business owners in the Tahoe Basin said adds to the stress of running their business. “I don’t know what will happen this fall, and whatever happens, we’ll have to deal with it," Cannon said. "Fortunately, we’re in a nice situation that if you’ve had a busy summer up here, hopefully, you’ve gathered your nuts and prepare for the fall -- and a long, dark winter, if it’s that way."