Gold Coast restaurant owner Tom Torchut describes the reopening of the state’s border to NSW and Victoria on Monday morning as an early Christmas present for the tourism hotspot, but said it would exacerbate the sector’s skills shortages.

After being cut off from Greater Sydney for 171 days and Melbourne for 149 days, the Sunshine State will welcome back its key tourism market from 1am on Monday. Provided they are fully vaccinated and have recorded a negative PCR test in the previous three days, Sydneysiders and Melburnians will no longer have to undergo 14 days’ quarantine.