NOVEMBER is typically a slow time for tourism in Oberon, but the number of visitors to the area in recent weeks indicates that won't be the case next month.
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Since the snowfall in August, there has been an influx of visitors coming to stay in the area and experience what it has to offer.
In what has been such a difficult year, Oberon Council has welcomed the trend.
Tourism and economic development manager Mathew Webb credited the change in season from winter to spring as one of the reasons for the consistent flow of visitors.
"We had a couple of snow tourism moments and then the area warmed up, the gardens are all open, the school holidays, so it's been six or seven weeks of just tremendous tourism numbers and visitor spend across the whole region, so we've been very happy," he said.
With international travel off limits and very little opportunities for interstate travel due to COVID-19, people are being encouraged to explore what's in their own backyard.
Mr Webb feels that Oberon has been a big beneficiary of that.
"It's put a real focus on regional tourism and that has really exacerbated the numbers where people are coming to explore locations and destinations that they've not traditionally been to before, so we've done very well from that," he said.
Oberon's tourism generally comes from Sydney and Canberra, but Mr Webb said he has found an increase in people from nearby regional areas visiting.
"We've really picked up a lot of Blue Mountains and Central West tourism," he said.
"A lot of people from the Blue Mountains have come and visited and always mention that they've never been to Oberon, but have seen some of the promotions we are doing.
"... We've also picked up a lot of visitors from Orange and Dubbo who are just looking for a new place to visit not too far from home."
It is hoped that the momentum will carry through to Christmas.
"I'm expecting December, January to be a very busy time for Oberon, which is great," Mr Webb said.
"And also, November is traditionally a quiet month, but I'm hoping that momentum carries through November as well. We want to ensure that is the case and we are doing what we can to continue quite targeted promotions for people who've never been here before."
