WELCOME FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITOR REVIVAL

INTERNATIONAL travel is set to touch down once again, with Australian borders officially opening to vaccinated foreign tourists from Monday, and Cairns businesses eagerly await their return.

Owner of Splash Seafood Megan McKay says her Esplanade restaurant will be waiting with “open arms” as international visitors come back.

“It’s certainly been noticeable without international travel but we’ve had amazing local support, not every restaurant has been in the same

position,” she said. “We’re not expecting an immediate hit of tourists, obviously trade and tourists will filter through from the first arrivals into major cities but we’re ready for it to trickle back up to FNQ.”

OK Gift Shop manager Masa Harada said the business closed for a

two months in 2020 and had gone from a team of 20 people to 10.

“We’re very excited for international travel to come back, when domestic tourism returned it did help boost us a little but it’s still been very quiet in comparison,” he said.

Splash Seafood owner Megan McKay, with supervisor Tullulah Rodda, as the restaurant prepares for international visitors. Picture: Brendan Radke