As the Labour Day long weekend pushed Canberrans towards the coastline, beach towns like Batemans Bay really felt the difference in visitors.
President of Batemans Bay Tourism and Business Chamber Alison Miers said she hadn't felt such a "busy vibe" for quite some time.
She said numerous people had called in seeking accommodation for the weekend but they couldn't help because most places were "booked out".
Similar to the ACT, temperatures at the bay hit 29 degrees on Sunday afternoon. Tourists enjoyed a sunny day with low humidity.
Ms Miers said there was a large influx of people from Canberra in town and that the warm spring weather had made a difference.
"Six weeks ago it was just totally dead," Ms Miers said.
"When interest rates were hiking and people were really feeling the cost of living ... there was just no one traveling and it was quieter than it's ever been."
The president also felt people wanted to travel again and the number of tourists this time resembled pre-COVID times.
However, she advised holiday-goers to plan ahead to avoid last minute disappointment. She said people were already thinking about Christmas, and while accommodations aren't fully reserved, she said the bookings were starting to come in.
"People are booking closer to the time of travel," Ms Miers said. "They can't have the expectation that they can to just travel without booking, I think that that will have to change again. There was just so many people that were disappointed they couldn't get accommodation."
