Accommodation providers are looking forward to the peak holiday season free of COVID restrictions as the region prepares for a tourist influx.
Greater Port Macquarie Tourism Association president Janette Hyde said this was the first real break with no COVID restrictions.
"I think generally everyone is optimistic about moving forward into 2023," she said.
Mrs Hyde said people were looking forward to a little bit of normality.
Town Beach Motor Inn co-owner Peter Conliffe said conservative people didn't travel last year due to COVID but that had changed this Christmas/new year season.
He said bookings were very good with Town Beach Motor Inn running at about 80 per cent full most nights.
Bookings at the Gordon Street motor inn between December 10 and the end of January are up by 20 to 30 per cent on the same time last year.
Lighthouse Beach Holiday Village director Andrew Morrow said they were not totally booked out but it would be quite busy in comparison to the past couple of Christmas periods.
Holidaymakers are travelling to the holiday village from the Hunter, Queensland and Sydney, for example.
Mr Morrow said Lighthouse Beach Holiday Village attracted quite a lot of family groups who were repeat customers.
He said the holiday village's cash flow was up on pandemic levels but increasing costs posed challenges.
Mr Morrow estimates operational costs have risen by 30 per cent.
It is a full house at Haven Waters Motel and Apartments from Christmas Eve until January 9.
It comes off the back of a busy period for Haven Waters Motel and Apartments owners Richard and Sandy Legge.
The North Haven business has experienced solid bookings for the past three months.
Mr Legge said guests stayed longer over the summer holidays, which meant the rooms turned over less quickly.
He expects running costs will rise in 2023.
It is shaping up to be a busy holiday season at Dunbogan Caravan Park.
Park managers Sarah Harvey and Brad Boland confirmed the caravan park is booked out from Boxing Day to January 8.
Ms Harvey said the strong bookings were a really positive sign, particularly after the floods and COVID.
All of the park's peak season holiday bookings span multiple nights.
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Lisa Tisdell
I'm a Port Macquarie News journalist, keen traveller, angler and cricket fan.
I'm a Port Macquarie News journalist, keen traveller, angler and cricket fan.
