Italian travel agents' interest in Kenya's sea destinations has increased. This is what the 2019 edition of TTG Rimini said, the most important Italian trade fair in the tourism sector, reserved for operators and travel agencies. On behalf of the coast there were only two stands, one of Kilifi County with the participation of Jacaranda Resort and the one of the safari company "Bush Company" that with a well-kept space presented the best of Kenya's savannah and its professional safaris and "Taylor made". Unfortunately, no other tourist player in Malindi and Watamu wanted to focus on the fair, which recorded a record number of visitors.
The space "This Is Kilifi" has had a good response to visits and the positive aspect is the request for information from agencies that do not want to rely solely on large tour operators, but are interested in selling the "product Kenya" with their own packages directly to the facilities.
In this sense it was a pity that the Italian entrepreneurs of the coastal destinations are not able to join together to bring in the most important fairs at least one of their common space and also that the App "This is Kilifi" has not yet been properly implemented, with more information and cards regarding the hospitality. We hope it will happen in the near future.
Daniele Tiritò, General Manager of Jacaranda Resort, tells us how it went, with a review by an expert in the field.
"As far as we are concerned, we are satisfied with the quality of the contacts, more than with the quantity, however unexpected. That in the last 2 or 3 years the interest for the destination by the Italian market is
back to the levels of the best times was now a proven fact. The fair was a demonstration of this. The trend that struck us, however, was the multiplication of retail agencies and small TOs.
who have asked to work directly. We, the generalists par excellence, have always been open to expanded demand. The market sees on the one hand the excessive power of tour operators (which now, however, although with different brands, are a monopoly), on the other hand the need to disintermediate. This need is favoured by the multiplication of scheduled flights and by the need of "road" agencies to respond to a market that is increasingly attentive to personalisation and individual needs. 
We had long predicted this evolution and we are very happy to support it. Our site for years now allows you to book online, and with the best offers, both the Jacaranda and the Jumbo Resort. Our main partners, still the big ones, are preparing for a winter of great results. The summary is that there is room for everyone. We would like to multiply the number of rooms, but this is not possible. In an all in all rosy, we want to point out a regret. Kilifi County for the umpteenth year, participated with a stand and a delegation.  We think it is appropriate for Kenya to make itself heard. Are there maybe a few 80 thousand Italian arrivals last year? Now more than ever it's time to beat the iron while it's hot. Still prevails the story that Kenya is a cheap product. A sort of indistinct discount for a cheap holiday. There is a great desire for identity and uniqueness, and Kenya can guarantee this.  The market is beginning to understand it, but we must stimulate it and we must do it as a system of supply".