PORT Douglas will be bursting at the seams this Easter with the current tourism spike set to roll into the long weekend.

Visitors to the region skyrocketed by 26 per cent last year and local businesses have again been flooded with calls and bookings for the school holiday period.

Douglas was enjoying consistently higher pre-bookings and visitations, according to Tourism Port Douglas and Daintree executive officer Tara Bennett, with holidaymakers keeping operators on their toes in the lead-up to Easter.

"We enjoyed a great 2015 and this good news looks set to continue in 2016," Bennett said.
 
“The weather is looking sensational for the Great Barrier Reef at Easter so we anticipate our reef products from outer reef cruises to stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking will be in demand these holidays."

Winston Hall, Regional General Manager at Mantra Group, said tourists were set to pour into Port Douglas with heavy bookings being taken at upscale resort Peppers Beach Club.

"There has been really high demand, and especially high for the lead up to Easter," Hall said.

“Our holdings are very strong and there is no question its going to be a very busy period."

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Similarly, QT Resort Port Douglas is full right up until the end of school holidays.
 
“Like many of the local operators we are finding the lull is so much shorter between Chinese New Year and the Easter period,” Sharon Timms, QT PR and Events Coordinator, said.

Lady Douglas River Cruise owner Kate Agrums said her phone had been running hot with inquires, and they too were preparing for a busy time.

"We’ve been getting a lot of calls and a lot of people seem to be heading this way for their holidays," Agrum said.

"We will have three tours running every day and potentially even four a day if the demand is high, and that's what we do during (peak) season."