A summer workshop series designed to teach visitors about life and culture in the North saw a jump in participants this year SA国际影视传媒� so much so that organizers had to turn some people away.

Approximately 600 people had attended the workshops as of Aug. 21, according to Lindsey Bodnar-McLeod, an interpretive event planner with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.

She was running the final few activities outside the Western Arctic Regional Visitor Centre with her colleagues from the Tourism and Parks division last week.

SA国际影视传媒淥ur numbers have reached really high in our programming,SA国际影视传媒� Bodnar-McLeod said, adding she was surprised with the tally last week.

The group had run 53 workshops since June, with more than 10 people attending each one, SA国际影视传媒渁 big jumpSA国际影视传媒� compared to last year's attendance, Bodnar-McLeod said.

She estimated 450 people took part in the activities last year, which included everything from a fish fry to making earrings out of porcupine quills.

Local SA国际影视传媒減harmacy walks,SA国际影视传媒� in which participants learn about the medicinal uses of plants grown in the area, was also a SA国际影视传媒渇avouriteSA国际影视传媒� this season, she said.

The purpose of the workshops is to share Inuvik's culture with visitors stopping in from all different parts of the world.

SA国际影视传媒淲e've met people from China, Australia, Scotland,SA国际影视传媒� Bodnar-McLeod said. SA国际影视传媒淭he first thing we always ask people when we meet them is 'Why did you come here?' And they tell us, (it's) because they're interested SA国际影视传媒� in the North, in the people and the ways of life here.SA国际影视传媒�

It's also drawn people to the visitor centre. The workshops have been taking place at their doorstep this year.

Amber Ritias and Amie Charlie, who work at the visitor centre, said the workshops have been a big attraction this summer.

SA国际影视传媒淭heir numbers are very high this season,SA国际影视传媒� Ritias said. SA国际影视传媒淥ne day they had a huge group just show up and they had to ask the second group to come back.SA国际影视传媒�

She added she thinks it's important for the community to be able to share its culture with other people.

It's also a chance to help boost the economy, Charlie added, explaining staff encourage visitors to check out local arts and craft stores and businesses.

As for the visitor centre itself, it's expected to bring in just as many SA国际影视传媒� if not more SA国际影视传媒� people than last year.

John Cournoyea, manager of Tourism and Parks in Inuvik, said 4,090 visitors had come through the visitor centre this year, as of Aug. 19. Of those, 3,486 were visitors to the NWT.

The centre opened May 29.

Last year, he said, the centre saw 4,716 visitors between May 31 and Sept. 12, with 3,835 of those being visitors to the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淚t's significant, because visitors to the NWT are actually bringing in new money to the economy,SA国际影视传媒� Cournoyea said.

According to Bodnar-McLeod, the summer workshops have been hosted annually since 2011.

The final workshop of this summer was Aug. 25.