Fears of Sydneysiders cancelling trips and Hunter locals shacking up at home this Easter have been eased, as beachside holiday parks hit capacity and cellar doors wined and dined travellers.
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Weeks of climbing fuel prices putting pressure on people's back pockets at the bowser had created some uncertainty as to whether people would cancel their long-weekend travel plans.
However, tourism operators reported streets were busy, and, while there had been limited cancellations, bookings remained strong as travellers still made their way up the M1.
Isabelle Davenport, the reservations officer at Beachside Holiday Parks in Port Stephens, said its sites at Fingal Bay, Shoal Bay and Halifax in Nelson Bay were all at capacity.
"We were expecting some cancellations and management were keeping an eye on what was going to happen," she said.
"There was some concern it could be quieter than previous years with it being one of the most popular times of the year.
Ms Davenport said leading into the weekend there were some cancellations, but late bookings filled the parks.
"Being relatively close to Sydney, I think people were still willing to make the drive up or maybe even changed their plans to travel here rather than further up the coast."
Speaking to the Port Stephens Examiner before the long weekend, Destination Port Stephens CEO Jo Thomas said the region's proximity to major population hubs could be its saving grace over the school holidays.
"Those people who would usually have packed up and gone to Queensland for the school holidays may be choosing to stay closer to home," Ms Thomas said.
"Port Stephens is a closer destination that won't cost as much in fuel."
She warned that diesel-dependent operators exploring the waterways were feeling the brunt of rising costs.
With the whale-watching season fast approaching, some operators may have to scale back tours if vessels aren't reaching capacity.
"Some operators are having to restrict their tours, offering three a day compared to five," Ms Thomas said.
"That's the reality of rising fuel costs."
The Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association CEO, Jennie Curren, said operators in the valley were concerned about how people would choose to spend over the break.
"There was concern, and there still is, in terms of the uncertainty of how long this may go on," Ms Curren said.
"We have the rest of the school holidays, which is usually one of our busiest times of the year, so that uncertainty still remains."
Despite the uncertainty, Ms Curren said reports were positive from operators in the region.
"Without a full debrief, those who I have spoken to across cellar doors and accommodation have said it has been good," she said.
"Cellar doors say they have been busy across all three days.
"It has still been strong as we would expect this time of year."
Ms Curren said accommodation occupancy was a little down mid-last week compared with the previous year, but that they also had late bookings.
"Some of the cancellations, not that we saw very many, were also offset by these late bookings."
She said the impact may have been cushioned by the fuel excise relief and the region's proximity to population centres in Sydney and closer to home in Newcastle.
"The fuel excise relief may have played into the late bookings a bit," she said.
"We may have been a bit protected as well due to the distance to Sydney compared to other regions further afield who may have felt more of the impact.
"Our biggest drive market is Sydney, but we also have a big local catchment who may also choose to stay more local."
Ms Curren said the region had also been boosted with new EV infrastructure.
"We have a good EV network as well with eight new Tesla superchargers installed this week, so that has been good as well."
Ms Curren said the region was still facing the impact of fuel costs on its industries.
"We are a wine producing region as well so our producers are being impacted by the costs of freight and diesel in their operations as well," she said.
"That side of it is still a concern."
Dylan Nicholson
I have been a journalist for 5 years previously working with Defence Connect at Momentum Media and then for three years at the Cairns Post. I have been at The Herald since November after moving back south to where i grew up in Port Stephens.
