Accommodation providers are heavily booked from the time of the NSW State Cup touch football competition in December to the end of January.

That trend, for some, continues into March.

Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association president Janette Hyde said feedback showed the December and January accommodation bookings were so much better than previous years.

She said a lot of the tourists choosing the Greater Port Macquarie region had not been here before.

"The basic comment is once they are here, they can't believe the diversity of things to do," Mrs Hyde said.

"It augurs well for the future."

Mrs Hyde said tourism was absolutely integral to our economy - both directly and through its ripple effect.

The association is looking for all locals to be supportive of tourism in recognition of its contribution to the economy.

The surge in accommodation bookings follows a tough time for the hospitality industry during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's a really great breath of fresh air to have this positivity moving forward," she said.

Mrs Hyde said the state government and federal government support measures allowed businesses breathing space to get back on their feet.

Meanwhile, Port Macquarie is among the top trending destinations in regional NSW, according to Booking.com data.

Booking.com revealed the top trending destinations in NSW as a part of its Future of Travel report.

Port Macquarie ranked at number two in the top 10 regional NSW destinations based on the most searched non-metro destinations with a search rank increase of more than five places year on year by Australian users during a week from October crossing into November.

That is compared to the same period in 2019.

Booking.com's Future of Travel report uncovers the top trends which will shape travel in the year ahead.

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