Reopening of Australia's international borders welcomed by struggling Riverina tourism operators

Agricultural Tours Riverina specialised in showcasing the unique farming practices and techniques used across the region, generally to overseas farmers and companies looking to improve their own methods.

"International tourists were probably 90 to 95 per cent of our business," explained Mr Collins.

"Since the borders shut there has been virtually no income - it has been disastrous."

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The sudden drop in customers forced the tour guide to dust off his saxophone for the occasional gig and pick up casual school teaching, but after a long two years, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement that Australia will reopen the border to all vaccinated visitors from February 21 has offered a glimmer of hope for the region's COVID-devastated tourism industry.

"The news that international borders are reopening fills me with delight," Mr Collins said.

"I don't mind taking in the laundry but I'd much prefer to be showing off agriculture and meeting interesting people."

The reopening of Australia's international borders has sparked Mr Collins and hundreds of other businesses back into life and while he doesn't expect an instant boom, he is still anticipating a busy few months on the horizon.

"The industry is currently in disarray and so many of the people we have dealt with over the years are no longer operating at all," he said.

"Many of the organisations we dealt with have dissolved and we will have to work hard to establish new contacts and that may take some time."

For Mark Saddler, the owner of Bundyi Cultural Tours in Wagga, the pandemic has caused a drop in business by about 70 per cent.

He welcomed the news of international borders reopening but said it could take up to three years until his business returns to pre-COVID levels.

"It's great news but I foresee that I won't really see any overseas travellers until at least the end of this year," he said.

"I might see a bit of filtering coming in but I don't envisage we will get back to where we were for another two or three years."

Mr Saddler said the pandemic has "completely flattened" the region's tourism industry but has also provided a valuable change to reflect.

"If there was one silver lining to the pandemic, it's that COVID gave us was a chance to take a deep breath, look at how we do business and revamp how we deliver," he said.

According to Yvette Myhill, general manager of Destination Riverina Murray, approximately 25,000 international visitors stayed overnight in the Riverina in 2019.

She said early projections suggest it would take three years for the industry to reach these levels again and unique agricultural, cultural and indigenous experiences would likely be the first to see the return of international visitors

Following the announcement of borders reopening, Tourism Australia has launched a $40 million advertising campaign looking to lure international visitors to the nation.

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