Its pristine beaches, lush bushland and forest, crystal clear waterways and abundant national parks are magnets for people wanting to connect with nature.

In its submission to National Parks and Wildlife Service draft management plan for Barunguba Montague Island Eurobodalla Shire Council said that Tourism Australia and Destination NSW recognise nature-based tourism is an "important and growing" sector.

Council produced its Nature-Based Tourism Feasibility Study in 2019 and launched a tourism campaign "Eurobodalla - All Kinds of Natural".

The study identified opportunities to position the shire as a nature-based tourism destination.

Fiona McCuaig, whose family own Bodalla Dairy, said the fact that the University of Wollongong has chosen ecotourism as the focus of its RISE accelerator program at Batemans Bay is another indicator that it has a promising future.

Destination NSW data showed that 69 percent of nature-based domestic visitors stay outside of the peak summer season, addressing the seasonality of the Far South coast's tourism sector which impacts businesses and workers.

Sally Bouckley, director of Southbound Escapes that runs luxury nature-based cycling, walking and cultural tours, said that Tourism Australia sponsored a journalist from Germany to visit the region to write about food- and nature-based tourism.

"We are the epitome of nature-based tourism because there is so much to do such as Barunguba which is one of the most highly certified conservation sites.

"There is e-biking and mountain biking including the new Narooma Mountain Bike Hub which is pristine rainforest with ferns more than 100 years old.

"There are national park walks in Murramarang, Bournda, Bingi Dreaming Track, Light to Light and Wharf to Wharf, plus kayaking, bird watching and whale watching.

"We have these pillars of tourism yet the South Coast is still so undiscovered so we want to promote it from a nature-based perspective," Ms Bouckley said.

Josh Waterson of Region X has been running nature-based tours from Batemans Bay for almost 18 years and is eco-certified.

He has seen interest grow.

"I think there is significant recognition and a shift, definitely post-COVID.

"People are recognising the physical and mental health benefits of being outside in fresh air."

Mr Waterson said most of his clients are domestic with many coming from Sydney, including new arrivals who "think it is wilderness".

"The South Coast is still well down the list of international visitors and somewhat off their radar."

Mr Waterson said his international clients tend to have visited Australia before and want to go where the locals go.

"They are the people we love, just small groups, not the big coach loads you see in the Blue Mountains," he said.

Ms Bouckley said the region needs sustainable tourism.

"You don't want to be like Venice and other places where it has been ruined and is overcrowded.

"We want fewer visitors who spend more."