Prineville-Crook County Chamber starts new discount program to encourage Central Oregon visitors, more tourism

(Update: adding video and comment from city, residents, business owners)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Prineville-Crook County Chamber of Commerce has launched a new discount program in a bid to draw tourists in from Bend and other Central Oregon communities, and so far it's drawing a lot of interest and support.

Visitors who stop by the visitor center at 185 NE 10th Street can pick up a lanyard with a special QR code to scan with their phone that welcomes them to Prineville and offers a list of businesses offering discounts or special offers.

The program aims to boost tourism and stimulate economic growth for businesses in the community.

Prineville resident Ray Murphy welcomes the new discount program: “I think actually, it's kind of nice. And I think it's a good opportunity for this town, because it needs it -- it doesn't have much going on."

The goal is to spur economic development by offering a lower-cost option for vacationing in Central Oregon.

Prineville Chamber Director of Tourism Kim Molnar said, "There is a lot of money in people getting away in vacationing, and we're a community where it really doesn't cost as much as it would be in other areas." 

She said money from increased tourism will help improve areas of Prineville like parks and other recreational areas. 

"So more more than anything, there's the economic impact. so we see our businesses thriving," Molnar said. "We see more jobs out there. We also have the impact with tourism that everything that we do. We want it to be something that our residents can also take part in."

 Each lanyard has QR discounts or promotions at 14 businesses, potentially with more coming soon. Some say it's almost similar to a scavenger hunt. 

"We have one business that, 'I'll do a 10% discount.' We have another business that says show up for a free gift, and then we have a petting zoo outside of town that's giving a discount to go up and explore them and see the baby kangaroos."

At Good Bikes, they offer a "buy one bicycle part or accessory and get one 20% off" deal.

Good Bikes owner James Good said, "The locals are extremely important to spending and just shopping it around. I know that tourism can help boost that as well. especially -- you know, we have cold winters and that can have a big hit on small business."

Tourists visiting Prineville can stop by the Chamber of Commerce office to pick up their lanyards. Some folks can even call or email ahead of time to secure their discount sooner. 

Molnar said, "We've had organizations that are going to be coming to the area with large groups contact us and say, 'We're going to have 100 people. Can we have 100 of them?' Absolutely! That's something that we can do."

Murphy added, "I think it's going to just help tremendously, other than just seeing what the drawback is of maybe more litter more - as long as it doesn't start to decay the outer - like the true sense of what Prineville is."