Hunter restaurants and holiday houses are booking up quickly, but the industry remains nervous about whether COVID-19 will continue to disrupt trade.
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NSW is projected to reach 70 per cent adult full vaccination between September 30 and October 11, and Lemon Grove Hotel owner Wayne Stewart said he was planning for an October 11 reopening.
Mr Stewart is organising a Melbourne Cup day at the Wallsend pub for November 2 and has booked in Christmas functions.
He said he was "frustrated at all the negativity" about possible ongoing COVID restrictions and was "just grateful to open the doors again".
"We have to embrace the opportunity we've been given. If we have to wear a mask, so be it," he said.
"Option B is not real flash."
Another publican "excited" about "freedom" day is Young Street Hotel's Luke Tilse, whose Facebook page announces a joint promotion with the nearby Carrington Bowling Club "on the day we are allowed to open (hoping for Monday the 11th, but whenever it ends up being)".
If NSW reopens on October 11, the Hunter will have been in lockdown for 67 days.
Destination Port Stephens chairman Andrew Macdonald, who owns an accommodation hotel in Nelson Bay and the Signal Box restaurant in Newcastle, is targeting a less ambitious October 25 reopening.
He said hotel bookings in Port Stephens were "slower than I thought" but holiday lettings were "really strong".
"Christmas accommodation bookings are hard to find already," he said.
"At the Signal Box, weekends in October and November are selling out already."
He said hotels and holiday lettings were checking the vaccination status of visitors but predicted "people will still sneak into rooms".
Mr Macdonald said the business community was "more optimistic" but there was still "nervousness about are we really coming out".
He echoed concerns from others in the hospitality sector about staff shortages, especially if 10 per cent choose not to be vaccinated.
"The lack of staff is unprecedented. Chefs have had time off and realised how hard a job it is. I've already lost three at Signal Box."
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