A tourism office staff member presented the Prescott Whiskey Trail on July 30, describing a free digital passport that lists 21 Prescott bars and uses geofencing plus trivia to verify visits. The passport awards small prizes at milestones — shot glass at four stops, rocks glass at eight, and larger items such as a flask or whiskey stones for completing all 21 — and directs winners to pick up physical prizes at the Chamber of Commerce.
The staff member said the trail is a “gamified” experience because many Prescott bars are close together and geofence alone could register multiple nearby venues; the passport therefore prompts users to answer trivia questions after arriving so designated drivers and non-drinkers can participate as well. “So it's kind of like a game experience, it's trivia, and it's drinking whiskey,” the staff member said.
The passport is free to download and can be used in a phone browser or as an app. The tourism office plans a social-media “hard launch” in September and expects ongoing promotion, with a goal to feature one bar per month after launch. Staff described the program as low-cost to the destination and intended to drive visits and foot traffic to downtown businesses.
Committee members asked about prize pickup and monetization. The staff member said all physical prizes will be held at the Chamber of Commerce visitor center to encourage in-person visits there. The tourism office said it cannot collect money directly for the passport and will provide digital media kits and posters to participating businesses; event partners such as Park Plaza and Founding Fathers have discussed launch events.
The staff member acknowledged some potential for abuse — people entering a bar and answering trivia without ordering whiskey — but said prize items are inexpensive and the program’s aim is exposure for local bars. To limit rapid completion and encourage safer behavior, the passport enforces time blocks so the full route cannot be completed in less than about seven hours.
The tourism office showed sample digital designs and passed around sample glassware at the meeting. Committee members and staff said Arizona Office of Tourism representatives had already shown interest and that promotional shot-glass giveaways at a recent cities-and-towns conference drew strong attention.
The committee did not take a formal vote on the Prescott Whiskey Trail at this meeting; the item was presented for information and feedback. Staff said they will provide participating bars with a digital media kit within about a week and will share launch dates and materials with committee members before the September promotion.