It would come as no surprise that Forster-Tuncurry has snatched the top trending summer destination title, according to booking website Wotif.com.
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Interest in accommodation has skyrocketed by a whopping 240 per cent, 100 per cent ahead of its trendier northern neighbour, Byron Bay.
Foster is followed by Kingscliff (215pc), Coffs Harbour (180pc), Yamba (170pc), Newcastle (170pc), Bundanoon (170pc), Port Macquarie (160pc), Port Stephens (150pc) and Byron Bay (140pc).
Beaches International, Forster co-manager, Tammy Randall said she would have to go back post 9/11 to experience a September holiday period like this year.
"We've been here 20 years and the only other time we were this busy was September 2001," Mrs Randall said.
"It is very exciting at the moment; there is a buzz in the air, people want to explore their backyard."
The popular holiday destination now has a "strong holiday shortage."
Mrs Randall said the increase in inquiries had blown everyone out of the water.
She believed the Great Lakes was a favoured destination due to its location and that it had been COVID-19 free for many months.
"People have less time to spend away and they don't want to travel eight hours (to their destination)."
BIG4 at Great Lakes Forster Tuncurry general manager, Nick Jacobs said inquiry and interest in the area as a holiday destination was unprecedented in the 50 years the holiday park had been operating.
"We have experienced an increase for our property that we have never experienced for this time of year before," Mr Jacobs said.
He said interest and demand for accommodation at the popular caravan park had extended well into 2021.
However, as borders begin to reopen Mr Jacobs anticipated a slight softening for accommodation.
"People just want to get out and about; there has been a return to families enjoying time with their families."
Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber president, Megan Lewis, said she was delighted for local accommodation providers, who'd done it pretty tough in the earlier part of the year.
"We've been here 20 years and the only other time we were this busy was September 2001.
- Tammy Randall
"It is really exciting to see that degree of interest and then to see that translated into bookings," Ms Lewis said.
"And, now we want to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time.
"This is a real opportunity for us put out the welcome mat."
Ms Lewis said we want visitors to feel welcome and talk positively about the region to their family and friends.
"So, let's put on the best show ever."
Visitors from Sydney and Newcastle are looking to get away and the Barrington Coast is the perfect distance from both, MidCoast Council growth, economic development and tourism manager, Deb Tuckerman said.
"We know in the current climate that people are reluctant to travel too far from home so the 3-4 hour mark from Sydney is the perfect distance to travel for many Sydney-siders.
"The increased online interest of places like Forster and other Barrington Coast towns is reflected in the current occupancy rates."
Ms Tuckerman said accommodation was exhausted in Forster, Gloucester, Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest for the long weekend and much of this week, while National Parks camp sites also were fully booked across the region.
"Our visitor centre staff are doing their best to find vacancies due to cancellations and are still fielding many calls with visitors looking for places to stay."
The Barrington Coast digital platforms are having similar spikes in traction including our social media pages and websites with over 60,000 engagements on Facebook in the last month.
The majority of these engagements are from Sydney and Newcastle residents.
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