New regulations restricting the amount of cigarettes international visitors to Australia are able to bring into the country were implemented over the weekend.

The new laws permit a maximum of 50 cigarettes per person, representing an 80 percent reduction.

International passengers arriving into Australia will be forced to surrender excess cigarettes or pay up to $100 duty, according to advocacy group Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF).

The new tobacco policy was announced in the May federal budget.

“This reform has been rushed through with little or no concern for the impact on the tourism industry,” TTF chief executive John Lee said.

“This change will create an unprecedented level of confusion and mayhem in arrival halls, frustrating and complicating the arrival experience for all international visitors.”

Mr Lee has urged the government to delay the implementation of the new policy until March 2013.

Customs has estimated that approximately 400,000 cartons of cigarettes will be seized from travellers before Christmas at Sydney Airport alone.

“We support government initiatives to reduce smoking rates, but we are concerned it will cause significant reputational damage to Australia as an international tourism destination,” Mr Lee said.