THE Cooly Rocks On festival has provided a windfall for the region, raking in an estimated $29 million this year.

Commissioned research carried out during the Coolangatta and Tweed-based festival revealed the estimated total economic impact of overnight and day visitor expenditure was $29,309,062 - more than $11 million up on last year.

Overall, more tourists made the trip specifically to attend this year's event.

The Tweed shared in about $5.5 million with about 20% of festival visitors choosing to stay south of the border.

Cooly Rocks On chairman Gail O'Neill said the report sent a clear message to Gold Coast City Council, Events Queensland, Connecting Southern Gold Coast, Tweed Shire Council and other major sponsors that the event was of the utmost importance to the region and its people, from both a tourism and economic perspective.

"Spending was clearly up this year, we saw a welcomed shift from day trippers to accommodated visitors," Ms O'Neill said

"The average length of stay increased from 5.7 to 6 nights, which is a great boost for tourism in the region," she said.

The report also indicated that many attended in groups this year, some as large as 50 people, from as far away as New Zealand and Western Australia.

"Event tourists spent an average of $680 per person and day trippers $114 per person so it all adds up to a huge influx of dollars into the economy to benefit shops, businesses and accommodation providers on both sides of the border," she said

"I've heard the effects reached as far north as Burleigh Heads with many accommodation providers indicating they were booked out during Cooly Rocks On."