HOBART International Airport will undergo a long-awaited $25 million makeover in a bid to give visitors the best possible first impression of Tasmania.

Upgrades to the terminal will start within weeks and are expec­ted to be completed by 2017.

The facelift will transform the inside of the terminal that has long been criticised for not being up to standard as the gateway to the state.

The airport will today ­announce the investment that will take funding for the state’s largest and busiest airport to $100 million in seven years.

The upgrade will not ­include airbridges, meaning passengers will still have to walk from planes to the terminal. But it is understood the plans will include measures to make the walk along the tarmac “more pleasurable”.

The airport caters for 60 per cent of air traffic in Tasmania and is regarded as the fastest growing non-mining airport in the country.

In the last financial year the airport catered for 2.1 million passengers.

The terminal upgrade coincides with the company ­responsible for running food and beverage operations at some of the world’s biggest airports taking over operations in Hobart.

The Australian arm of SSP Global, a company with operations in 29 countries across five continents including New York’s JFK Airport, London’s Heathrow, the Hong Kong International Airport and Sydney’s international terminal, has been contracted to overhaul the food and beverage options on offer at the ­terminal.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said the upgrade was very exciting.

“It is important that the airport is able to meet the needs of growing numbers of visitors to the state,” Mr Martin said.

“We need the airlines to prioritise more services into the state and all our airports need to be equipped to cope with growing passenger ­numbers.

“What we need is an airport that is efficient, capable to cope with numbers but also gives people a positive first and last impression of the state.”

The airport has already started focusing on local produce as part of the overhaul.

Local producers, including the new Iron House Brewery Bar, Villino Coffee, 4 Lunch and Zum bakery products, will be prominent in the airport in a bid to provide better links to Tasmanian goods.

“The upgrade will provide a sense of destination,” Mr ­Martin said.

Investment in the airport includes $38 million of Commonwealth funding for the runway extension aimed at enhancing Tasmania’s reputation as the “gateway to the Antarctic” and the airport’s ability to attract direct international flights.

In the past few years the airport has also invested about $40 million resurfacing the runways.

Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey said the terminal upgrade was needed.

“I have always felt Hobart was falling behind, particularly to the Launceston Airport,” Mr Bailey said.

“It is really pleasing to hear that this investment is going ahead.

“The terminal is currently not up to par for a capital city.

“We need to ensure Hobart is the entry point to the state that we would expect.”

Today’s announcement will be another step in the long-term plans for the ­airport.

Earlier this year, the ­Mercury revealed the 20-year vision for the airport would explore more options for ­retail trade, tourism, com­mercial business, freight, hospitality and ­Antarctic logistics.

The master plan is expected to be released in the next few months

MORE: 20-YEAR PLAN FOR HOBART AIRPORT REVEALED