Australia welcomes back tourists with toy koalas, Tim Tams
CTV
International tourists and business travellers began arriving in Australia with few restrictions on Monday, bringing together families in tearful reunions after separations of two years or longer forced by some of the toughest travel restrictions in the world.
Australia closed its borders to tourists in March 2020 in a bid to reduce the local spread of COVID-19, but on Monday removed its final travel restrictions for fully vaccinated passengers.
Tearful British tourist Sue Witton hugged her adult son Simon Witton when he greeted her at Melbourne's airport.
"Seven hundred and twenty-four (days) apart and he's my only son, and I'm alone, so this means the world to me," she told reporters.
Travellers were greeted at Sydney's airport by jubilant well-wishers waving toy koalas and favorite Australian foods including Tim Tams chocolate cookies and jars of Vegemite spread.
