A lack of availability has emerged as the “biggest barrier” to salvaging clients’ Easter travel plans, a top luxury agency has revealed. 

Winged Boots warns that many top hotels in Europe and the Caribbean are at “near or full capacity” as UK travellers look beyond the UAE and its network of flight connections for their spring holiday.  

“We’re finding the real issue is capacity,” Ellen Stevens, product manager at Winged Boots, told TTG Luxury. “Especially over Easter, when we had a lot of UAE departures. So now we’re trying to get those same clients to alternative destinations.” 

This high demand is being compounded by a surge in costs, with geopolitical instability and rising operational expenses nearly doubling quotes. 

“A booking that would have cost maybe £10,000 a couple of weeks ago now costs £18,000,” said Matt Clayden, Winged Boots’ retail shop manager. Despite these inflated prices, the agency’s affluent database appears largely unfazed. 

“Most of the clients I've spoken to are very understanding of it because they know that most people will be looking to go elsewhere, so they understand that prices will go up based on demand.”

As for the most popular alternative destinations, Winged Boots has noticed an increased interest in Mauritius, Europe and the Caribbean, as well as the US and Canada. Lapland bookings are also up, with clients ditching the beach to spend their spring holidays on the slopes. 

“It's more that instead of escaping for the sun for Easter, they're thinking let's get the last of the ski season in,” Stevens explained. 

Winged Boots also predicts that the shutdown of routes transiting in the UAE may lead to opportunities for European connections, and thus new destinations. 

While Caribbean islands with direct UK links have always been preferred by its clients, the agency suggests that current demand is pushing clients towards alternatives like Aruba and St. Bart’s.

Stevens also praised Winged Boots’ luxury hotel and DMC partners in the Middle East, hailing their response to the crisis as “above and beyond.”

“I can't fault them,” she said. “Considering what they're going through, and with many of them having their families in destination, the level of care has been amazing.”