Kim Warner-Lee, manager of the chain's operations, said earlier this week that the branch closed after more than five years due to the economic woes of Inuvik and the difficulty of finding qualified travel agents willing to work here.

Certified travel agents require two to five years in the industry and after a longtime employee left, the agency was unable to fill the position.

"We were unable to get certified agents willing to work there and because of the licensing requirements, we were unable to hire someone locally and train them," she said.

"But if we can find someone suitable who will go to Inuvik, we will be back."

Government cutbacks also reduced the volume of travel handled through the office here and made it more difficult to keep the office open, she said.

Top of the World will continue offering packages to Inuvik residents through a toll-free line to its Yellowknife office and will send representatives here once a month to promote various packages, she said.