With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to ease, Bendigo businesses are hopeful visitors coming to the region will continue in the lead up to Christmas.

Bendigo Tourism chair Finn Vedelsby said it felt like the city was almost back to normal.

More news

"There was certainly a great buzz back in the city," he said. "It was fantastic to see people and families reuniting and people from Melbourne getting out and about. It was almost like a normal weekend.

"All week at The Dispensary, we were inundated with phone calls. We filled our outside and inside areas and many other businesses did as well as we got a taste of Melbourne visitors.

"This weekend was absolutely fantastic and I am hopeful this is what it will be like up until Christmas.

"We kind of got that vibe from guests. They were desperate to get out and had friends coming in the next few weekends."

The accommodation sector had a slower return with only a few motels reporting a large increase in occupancy.

"We didn't see any major increases in occupancy but one or two motels got lucky with a couple of group bookings of people meeting in middle to catch up," Bendigo Motel Association president Kristyn Slattery said.

"We're definitely expecting (visitation) to rebuild, but at what capacity, we're not sure. I have seen in the media in other destinations, particularly coastal ones, a much greater influx than what we experienced. But numbers are slowly building."

Ms Slattery said the small return of overnight visitors was still a great positive for the sector.

"Our expectation on what good day or night is has lowered over last the last eight months during COVID," she said. "But to see a small increase over weekend and bookings starting to show again is definitely promising."

Related

Ms Slattery said motels would see the benefit of visitors returning when the region could begin holding major events again.

"We're are also calling for the reactivation of events," she said. "Bendigo has always been renowned as events destination. We host them so well and have a very full calendar usually.

"I would love to see the powers that be reactivate some events in a COVID-safe way. It would certainly help visitation and overnight stays."