Ten thousand fewer Italian tourists in Kenya in 2019, but Watamu did not feel their absence. Where did they "miss" then?
The report drawn up by the Ministry of Tourism of which a few days ago malindikenya.net published the most significant data, recorded a decrease of 16% of compatriots over twelve months compared to 2018, but it is not known where they stayed and where are the main absences. Certainly not in Watamu, according to the Italian businessmen of the tourist resort, which has now supplanted other destinations on the Kenyan coast such as Malindi and Diani in terms of sea holidays and travel packages.
"The numbers presented by the Ministry of Tourism are undoubtedly not very pleasant - is the opinion of Daniele Tiritò, GM of Jacaranda Beach and Jumbo Resort - However, the report has some gaps: there is the airport of arrival, but not the place of stay. The reason for the trip is not divided by market of origin. And this does not help us to understand well.
I can say with certainty, as far as Jacaranda Bay is concerned, that last year's numbers have been confirmed, and there has even been a significant increase in usually quiet months like September and October. As far as I know, the whole Watamu area has had a similar trend to ours.  Of course Kenya is large but a good percentage of our countrymen and women come on holiday here. Okay, here we'll be in
but then where, and why, were the others missing?" 
On the same line is Roberto Lenzi, owner, among others, of Seven Island Resort and Crystal Bay. "Despite Watamu's international trend - explains Lenzi - Italian tourism here has not decreased and the tour operators we are linked to, Vera Tour for Crystal Bay, and Alpitour for 7 Islands, are satisfied".
According to both of them, the "Anti-Africa" climate in our country last year did not help and may have had a negative influence more than the kidnapping of Silvia Romano, which however kept away many volunteers, members of associations and Italians willing to travel to Kenya to do good.
"Add to this the strong recovery of the Red Sea and, above all, a certain reluctance of our compatriots to use scheduled and stopover flights - continues Tiritò - It's true that arrivals with Turkish have increased, that now there are the options Kenya Airways and Qatar.  But other countries have used them more than us. In any case, in Europe, only the French have a significant increase, thanks to the flights of course, but also to the long absence from the destination".