A member of senior management at The Canal Court in Newry believes that the longer Level 5 restrictions remain in the Republic of Ireland, "the more likelihood of increased demand to Northern Ireland" there will be those seeking a getaway break.
The reopening of certain sectors and jobs in Northern Ireland will commence this Friday with close contact services, such as hairdressers and barbers, back open for business.
However, indoor hospitality, including pubs and hotels, is not likely to reopen until May 24 and they're bound to be an attractive option for those looking for a break.
Orla Hayes, of the Canal Court Hotel & Spa (Down) and the Carrickdale Hotel & Spa (Louth), told the Irish Mirror bookings have already increased for the Newry-based hotel.
"From the announcement last week, the demand for staycations has been very high and fantastic to see," she said.
"People want to relax and enjoy a break with their family and already the summer months are looking really good."
In the Republic of Ireland, people are legally allowed to travel 20km from their home and journey into other counties if they like, provided it's within 20km.
Given the proximity of Newry to counties like Louth, a potential influx of visitors crossing the border is a possibility.
Ms Hayes said: "We have seen the majority of guests that have booked initially with us are mainly from other parts of Northern Ireland and given the rate of the vaccination rollout in Northern Ireland people are excited to see some light at the end of the tunnel and are happy to stay local."
She added: "In terms of visitors from Co Louth, it is very difficult to determine where any of our day guests enjoying lunch in our Granary bar are travelling from and would hope that everyone is complying with the government advice and travel restrictions in their own area.
"Nonetheless, the hotel will continue to operate all our Covid safety procedures to the highest standards for all the guests who enter the Canal Court Hotel."
While the Cabinet has refused to provide an exact date for the reopening of hotels in the Republic, it's expected that towards the end of May the government will look at the reopening of hotels, B&Bs and guesthouses for the month of June.
However, during that period, it's a possibility that some people living near the border will be holidaying in Northern Ireland.
At the minute, Ms Hayes isn't sure if there has been a substantial increase in the number of people booking hotel stays from the Republic but she does feel that this will increase if a definitive date isn't introduced for the 26 counties in the near future.
She said: "It is very difficult to know at this stage given that the bookings have only started to be taken from last week, however, our sister hotel in Co Louth [Carrickdale Hotel & Spa] is keen for a reopening date from the Irish government as of course the longer they are closed, the more likelihood of increased demand to Northern Ireland from people in the Republic of Ireland for a getaway break."
Janice Gault, chief executive of the NI Hotels Federation, previously said that 3,500 wedding receptions have been booked in Northern Ireland for May, June and July.
With hotels North of the border preparing to reopen, there is a possibility that venues in the six counties will be more favourable for couples that are planning on getting married, especially with the current uncertainty in the Republic.
While the reopening of hotels in Northern Ireland is a very welcome move, Ms Hayes believes that there still is some uncertainty around the subject of weddings.
Adding: "Whilst we have been given the reopening date of May 24, hotels have many unanswered questions as to what is and is not allowed. We are hoping to get further clarification this week in relation to this," she said.
"In terms of future weddings, we have noticed an increase in demand for our venue. We are finding couples looking to book a venue that is well known and has been well established. As the Canal Court Hotel is almost 25 years in business, couples want that reassurance that a longstanding venue like ours has to offer, and being a family-owned hotel, this has definitely helped us.
"Another pattern that is starting to arise is also the decrease in demand for weddings abroad. We are getting a lot of enquiries from couples who either had booked Italy or Spain for their wedding or were considering an abroad wedding and have decided to now book a venue close to home."
Despite the increasing number of people that have been vaccinated and falling case numbers, it's understandable if some people still have fears about travelling due to Covid.
However, Hayes says that the general consensus from future guests in the two popular hotels has been very positive.
The hotel's marketing manager said: "From speaking to many guests, they are very excited to stay for a break with us, given that many of them were isolating most of last year. By the end of May, most of this age group will be fully vaccinated and it has been fantastic to see this age group confident to book a forthcoming stay at the Canal Court Hotel."
Much like many other industries and professions, the hotel sector in Northern Ireland has experienced a tumultuous year with closures and reopenings.
However, Ms Hayes is confident that demand will remain high and that customers will continue to thoroughly enjoy their stays.
"Yes, we reopened on July 20 2020 and the demand for both accommodation, spa and dining was excellent," she said.
"People want to come to a safe environment and enjoy a meal or spa day with friends and family. We implemented all the Covid safety protocols and we wanted our guests and staff to feel they were safe when in the hotel but at the same time relax and enjoy the atmosphere that a hotel offers.
"It has been an extremely difficult year for the hospitality industry and it is imperative that the hotel remains open with no further lockdowns."
Speaking to the Irish Mirror last week, the CEO of the HSE, Paul Reid, asked people to “hold firm” and not be tempted to enjoy the greater freedoms that are soon to be available up North.
He said: “From the HSE’s perspective, we strongly urge the public to continue to embrace the public health measures. We are on a really good trajectory out of this and we really want everybody to help see this home.
“The more we do that, particularly with the trajectory we’re on right now, it does give Government a widening of choices and much wider choices in terms of opening up of society and the economy.
“Strengthened border controls have been put in place, in terms of people moving between the border, and you can tell in terms of public messaging and visibility of that as well, so I expect that to continue.
“But ultimately we are really urging to see that we’re so close to seeing this all the way home, that we’d urge people to stick with it.”
