Warrnambool's McMahon family have been reunited with their relatives in Ireland - including three new additions - after COVID-19 restrictions halted their annual trip for three years.
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For the past 10 years, Matt and Niamh McMahon have travelled to Ireland annually to see family.
"The last three years we haven't been able to go so there was a backlog of weddings," Mr McMahon said. "We had three weddings (to go to), a christening and other goings on."
He said they got to meet three new arrivals in the family for the first time - an eight-month-old niece and nine and 15-month-old nephews.
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The family also spent time in Spain, Scotland and Wales.
Mr McMahon said it was easy travelling overseas once the international borders reopened with no issues regarding their vaccination status. "It was all very efficient and normal - it was good to get overseas again," he said.
"The European airports were manically busy - it's obviously been the same (as Australia) - they've (people) all been locked down (during the pandemic).
"(They have) a bit of a travel bug in Europe - they're travelling internally in Europe a lot."
He said despite staff deficiencies at airports everyone was in good spirits and happy to be travelling.
National Warrnambool Travel owner and manager Virginia Paton said the majority of her clients were visiting family and friends in the United Kingdom with a small percentage travelling for a holiday.
"For those holidaying, a smaller percentage, I've had people go to Italy, France, the United States of America, Scotland, Fiji and Thailand," she said. Her advice for those wanting to travel next year was to book early.
"A lot of people have delayed their travel to 2023 so airline seats are limited," Ms Paton said.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed almost 50 per cent of residents returning to Australia went overseas for less than a year in the 2021-22 financial year to see family and friends.
This was an increase of 611 per cent increase compared to the same time the previous year. New Zealand was the most popular destination followed by the US, India, the United Kingdom and Fiji.
Australia shut its international borders in March 2020, reopening in February 2022.
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