Matt Sinclair, the co-owner of one of Noosa’s top restaurants, Sum Yung Guys, said he had no choice but to close for the busiest week of the year after being caught out by the Palaszczuk government’s strict COVID-19 close contact rules.

As Queensland tourism operators deal with the cancellation of holiday bookings due to the uncertainty over the omicron outbreak, Mr Sinclair said the reopening of the state’s borders was meant to help save the state’s tourism industry.