Melbourne Airport is thrilled to welcome international tourists from around the globe to Victoria for the first time in almost two years.

This morning two of Melbourne’s top chefs were among those at Melbourne Airport’s international terminal to provide a warm welcome to arriving passengers.

Frank Camorra of MoVida and Shane Delia of Maha surprised some of today’s arrivals with a personal invitation to dine at their respective flagship restaurants.

Both chefs have eateries here at Melbourne Airport offering travellers the chance to enjoy the best of Victoria’s foodie culture.

Before the pandemic Melbourne Airport was processing just over a million international passengers a month, but that number fell to as low as around ten thousand in September 2021.

Melbourne Airport Chief of Aviation Lorie Argus said the return of International tourists marks a critical turning point for aviation and will underpin the recovery of Victoria’s tourism industry.

“As Victoria’s main international gateway, Melbourne Airport helps drive economic activity right across the state,” she said.

“Before the pandemic, tourism was a key industry and major employer not only for Melbourne, but also in regional areas such as the South-West Coast, Ballarat and Gippsland.

“International airlines are already responding positively to the border changes, with a number looking to resume or increase flights to Melbourne.

“Today we are delighted to welcome to tourists on flights from Singapore, Phuket, Auckland, Delhi, Doha, London, Dubai and Tokyo. 

“To help the tourism industry recover, it’s important that the Australian travel experience is as simple and stress-free as possible, and we would encourage the government to scrap all pre-departure testing requirements for fully-vaccinated international arrivals.

“As the tourism and aviation industries recover from the impact of Covid-19, Melbourne Airport is pressing ahead with our plans for a third runway, to ensure we can cater for future demand.”