NATCHEZ — Janie Lamkin and Leska Nelson are addicts.

Luckily their substance of choice is Natchez’s charm.

Lamkin, of Ruston, La., has been visiting Natchez since she was 15, and Nelson, of Dubach, La., has been a regular visitor for many years.

“I’m addicted,” Lamkin said. “I can’t get enough of Natchez.”

Nelson said each trip reveals more of the history and Southern charm, she and Lamkin love.

“If someone dies without coming to Natchez, that is a shame,” she said. “They are definitely missing out.”

Lamkin and Nelson, both teachers, said the architecture and history is what initially hooked them on Natchez, but it is the people and stories that keep them coming back for Spring and Fall Pilgrimage.

Lamkin and Nelson are just two of the visitors to take advantage of this year’s Fall Pilgrimage house tours. Tours wrapped up Friday, after posting good numbers across the board, Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Executive Director Marsha Colson said.

“Everyone says there are more people in town,” Colson said. “There are always some days that are not as busy or some tours that aren’t as busy, but the important thing is the total people that were here and the answer to that is a very positive number.”

Close-to-final numbers showed improvements in group tours, house tour ticket sales and total ticket sales, Colson said.

She said the number of group tours was up 26 percent and the total number of people in those tours is up 37.5 percent.

Counter sales of house tour tickets, not including group tours, is up 32 percent and counter sales for all products, including entertainment options, were up almost 45 percent, Colson said.

“Those numbers aren’t the final totals, but they are indicative of the trend we’ve seen this year,” Colson said. “I’m very happy.”

Colson said the numbers are a result of creative revamping of tours and also targeted marketing.

This year tours were freshened up with Characters in Costume at some houses and day end diversions to top off a full day of touring.

For Characters in Costume, a host dresses as a resident of the house or as an important person in the house’s history. The host recounts that person story in a first person narrative.

Colson said Characters in Costume gives visitor an even more vivid idea of what life was like in the house. She said it creates an experience modern tourists are seeking.

“People have been very interested and very impressed with the new things we have done,” Colson said. “I’ve heard from many people that these fresh revisions are the best thing we’ve done.”

Lamkin agreed with Colson’s assessment.

She and Nelson head the story of Cornelia Connolley, former resident of Twin Oaks.

Connolley had a tumultuous life, including the death of two children and leaving her remaining children in the care of a Catholic convent. But she found peace through a relationship with God, became a nun and started an order of nuns.

“She had me feeling right along with her,” Lamkin said. “She had a great story, and you were just drawn into it.”

Nelson said she takes the history she learns while touring houses back to her history classes she teaches.

“In class, I can give the students a new perspective because of what I learn and see in Natchez,” Nelson said. “I can tell them about the people and how life was.”

Day end diversions mixed music and socializing at three houses during Fall Pilgrimage. Colson said the people who attended the events felt more connected with the houses and the home owners.

Her hope now is that the excitement carries over to Spring Pilgrimage.

“I think we have really hit on some really good things,” Colson said. “The positive message here is that people are still interested in the history and culture that we offer.”