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Travel Phoenix fills role of chamber By Tony Boom Jun 06, 2022 12:15 AM A A Local rafting company works to boost city commerce in lieu of a local chamber When Will Volpert moved his Indigo Creek Outfitters whitewater rafting company from Ashland to Phoenix in 2019, he missed the connections with other business owners — so he created his own organization, Travel Phoenix Oregon, to help fill the void and aid the town. Phoenix had a chamber of commerce, but it ceased to operate in the past decade. Volpert credits the Ashland Chamber of Commerce with having a large hand in keeping the busy community there connected and working on issues that impact business owners. “We feel like we have a responsibility to contribute to the town and truly to run a business that is connected positively to other businesses in the area,” said Volpert. Travel Phoenix launched a website in January 2020, just before the pandemic and eight months before the Almeda fire destroyed residences and businesses in the town. He hoped to connect personally with other owners. “With COVID it was really difficult to go out and meet people. It’s difficult to introduce yourself and trust someone when you are not in person. A lot of this is about trust,” said Volpert. The group created a local travel guide that went online at the end of January, with 26 members, highlighting a number of businesses. Since then, material has been put together to add another 12 businesses, which will appear shortly. He said he hopes the guide will help people discover what downtown Phoenix has to offer. So far Volpert and his wife, Julie, have funded the effort out of their business with a large infusion of work and a small financial outlay. In the not-too-distant future, he says, it would make sense to create a nonprofit to take on the tasks and develop a way for businesses to engage. That could be a chamber or other organization. “I was worried about getting engagement. This has been 100% funded by Indigo Creek. Eventually we will need to charge some fees for membership,” said Volpert. The guide is online with no print edition. Rebecca Scott, who has written for other travel organizations and publications in the valley — including the Mail Tribune — is the writer for the guide. Ezra Marcos does the photography. “After the fire, we realized that Travel Phoenix could play a role for small business. There was no one representing business. It’s better to speak as group,” said Volpert. Travel Phoenix assisted the city and 1st Phoenix Community Center with putting on a citywide yard sale May 13-15. Local business were also involved in the sale. Volpert also helped coordinate a mid-April town hall where business development in Phoenix was discussed at First Presbyterian Church. “We really appreciate his efforts in promoting commerce in Phoenix. He’s a very successful businessman with a good outlook and vision,” said Mayor Terry Baker. “I’d very much support the establishment of a chamber in Phoenix.” Creation of a chamber of commerce has been discussed informally at Phoenix City Council sessions, but has not been an agenda item, said Baker. Efforts to revive the chamber were made when Baker was on the council, but they didn’t materialize. He said there had been a small amount of financial support from the city for the chamber. “There’s a lot of potential for support from the council, especially since we want to expand our commerce in town. Anything to do with the city will have to be established and certain guidelines set in stone,” said Baker. The town’s urban renewal agency could also play a part in reviving a chamber, said Baker. Establishment of a group with a board of directors is a goal in the next six months, said Volpert. He’d like a group to interface with city government, have other businesses involved and a clear vision for participants. “Something I love about Phoenix is we can go after a different market than (the bigger cities). They are mainly targeting out of state,” said Volpert. “Phoenix could be a destination for folks that live in Ashland, in Medford.” The town has a lot of small businesses and not a lot of franchisees. Phoenix has the potential to be filled in with local owners and small business folks, like downtown Ashland, he said. Volpert will participate in development of downtown with purchase of the lot that previously housed Roscoe’s BBQ on Main Street. The building burned in the fire. Indigo Creek will transition to the new site over the next 18 months as it is developed. Volpert said he liked being in Ashland, but his location on A Street had parking challenges with raft trips coming and going. To view the Travel Phoenix Oregon guide and get more information, see travelphoenixoregon.com . Reach Ashland freelance writer Tony Boom at [email protected].