PORT Stephens is the centre of a bustling holiday trade this Christmas, as people from around NSW and beyond look for a holiday to remember after a year many would prefer to forget.
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The emphasis in 2020 has been, to quote Tourism Australia's campaign slogan, to 'holiday here this year'.
Australia's regions have all been vying for a piece of the action, as many tourists who would normally be jet-setting overseas find new places to visit.
The expected influx has been welcomed by communities who have been repeatedly hit in the last 12 months, first by drought and bushfires and then by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Port Stephens, with its unique mix of beaches, bays, blue water, open sand, national parks, wildlife, shopping, food and drink and more, is ticking a lot of boxes for a lot of visitors.
You can find the entire Holiday Guide online here.
Business Port Stephens president Leah Anderson said many Sydney-siders were looking for places to go where there was not only a bit of relaxation but adventures on offer.
"That's a great message that's getting out there to bring people to our area. I don't think we can highlight that enough - how many great products we've got for visitors," she said.
"I think it's going to be a Christmas like no other, it's going to be such a bumper season. It's going to be huge."
Where else could you swim with the dolphins, or watch them from a sunset cruise on board the Port Stephens Ferry and then hit the sand the next morning on a 4WD tour, or on a quad bike?
You can even experience the view from the back or a horse or a camel!
Explore our history in the air at Fighter World and then take the kids for a downhill toboggan ride. You can get out into the deep with a scuba dive or snorkel tour or meet some sea creatures at Irukandji Shark and Ray Encounters.
Port Stephens offers the beauty of choice. You can choose to take it slow - find a good book, relax on the sand and listen to the waves, or enjoy the sumptuous food and drink on offer - or you can find adventures to get your pulse pumping.
Whatever you choose, Port Stephens is ready to deliver.