Australia has reopened its international borders to vaccinated visitors for the first time in two years prompting emotional family reunions and a lift for tourism.

The nation enforced some of the world’s strictest travel bans when it closed its borders in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID-19. The beleaguered tourism industry has been hit hard by the fortress-style restrictions and today welcomed the arrivals of overseas visitors.

Experts predict Australia’s tourism sector will recover slowly with pre-pandemic tourist numbers not expected to return until 2024.

Image: Image: Shutterstock: Peterfz30

Produced By: Tahlia Kraefft

Featured In Story: Don Farrell, Shadow Minister for Tourism , and Peter Shelley, Managing Director, Australia Tourism Export Council

First aired on The Wire, Monday 21 February 2022