INUVIK - The town is looking for businesses to contribute to gift bags that are given out to lucky tourists every summer.

Every year, the Town of Inuvik seeks out visitors at campsites and showers them with gifts such as pens, mouse pads, coffee mugs and other goodies.

Mayor Derek Lindsay presents Australian visitor Craig Shirkliff with the town's trademark Tourist of the Week gift package. The town office is calling out for community businesses to contribute goodies for the gift bag in future presentations. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

Now, the town is looking for businesses who would like to promote their companies while sharing something with the tourists.

Mayor Derek Lindsay said the goodies in the bag now are mainly from companies and organizations that helped with the annual petroleum show.

"It's a good bag, with many assorted things for a visitor to the community," he said.

Lindsay said the program has been in place for the last 12 years at least.

"I remember the Tourist of the Week back when George Roach was mayor, back in 1996," said Lindsay.

"So it's at least as old as that."

Lindsay said the best way to get the items to the town office is through tourism manager Dave Rogers.

Lindsay said the initiative promotes local businesses and gives a personal touch to visiting the town.

"It's a nice gift," he said.

On Tuesday afternoon, visitor Craig Shirkliff from Australia was lying in the shade of a tree at Happy Valley campground when Lindsay gave him one of the gift bags.

Shirkliff said he travelled to Inuvik after hearing about the town during a Yukon trip in 2006.

"We'd heard so much about the community and the scenery," said Shirkliff.

"It's much different than I thought it would be."

Shirkliff said he thought Inuvik would be more remote.

"I expected something like Fort McPherson. It's a great looking community that is very clean and neat looking."

Shirkliff and his party of four were planning to head south to Dawson Creek, B.C., later this week.

Looking into the most recent gift bag being handed out, Lindsay said there was an assortment of pens and notepads.

"We have a fair bit of stuff to give out in the bags, but we might need some more items before the season is over," he said.