SYDNEY — Australia reopened its borders to vaccinated international travelers on Monday after almost two years.

Double-vaccinated tourists and anyone holding a valid visa were allowed to travel to Australia starting on Monday.

The country closed its borders to all but citizens and permanent residents, with few exceptions, in March 2020.

A staggered border reopening started last year, with international students, working visa holders and backpackers welcomed back in stages.

"The wait is over," Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters at Melbourne International Airport on Sunday.

"There's some more than 1.2 million people around the world who are visaed up and they can come. And in the next 24 hours, some 56 flights are going to touch down in Australia, and that number is only going to grow."

"The tourists are coming back and my message to them is, to tourists all around the world, pack your bags, come and have one of the greatest experiences you could ever imagine — the experience you've been waiting for. You can come here and have it, have that here in Australia," Morrison added.

Australia's states and territories have varying quarantine requirements and caps on international arrivals, which Morrison said would remain in place when he first announced the reopening earlier in February.

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