Sometimes they come back. Not the flights, unfortunately—in fact, with the fuel crisis, those are likely to decrease—but the promises regarding the routes that interest us.
 
During the official meetings between Italy and Kenya held in Rome—complete with an economic forum and handshakes between institutions and business leaders—discussions returned to two topics that always set hearts racing along the Kenyan coast: the direct connection between Nairobi and Rome, and the expansion of Malindi Airport to finally accommodate intercontinental flights.
For those living in Malindi, Watamu, and the surrounding areas, this is no ordinary news. It’s one of those phrases we’ve been hearing for years, and each time it reignites a hope that has never quite died out. Because a direct flight doesn’t just mean convenience. It means tourism, investment, homes filling up, hotels staying open, restaurants thriving, and jobs for many young people in the area.

Today, to get to Kenya from Italy, you almost always have to go through Addis Ababa, Istanbul, Doha, Dubai, or other routes with layovers. These are long, often expensive journeys, not always easy for families, the elderly, or those opting for a short vacation. A nonstop Rome-Nairobi flight, as we’ve said time and again, would make a huge difference. And it would make an even bigger difference if the system were well-connected from Nairobi to the coast, or if Malindi could finally receive charter flights and direct flights from Europe.
And this is precisely where we enter the second chapter—the one that matters most to Malindi. The city’s airport has long been waiting for a major upgrade. Runway, facilities, services, passenger capacity: everything needed to transform it from an important domestic hub into a true international gateway for the northern coast. If that were to happen, Malindi would no longer have to wait for tourists arriving in Mombasa who then face hours of travel by road. It could welcome them right at its doorstep. There is a sense that Ruto is aware of this and that with each passing month, he faces less and less resistance within the Kenyan establishment.

Of course, reality calls for caution. Airlines aren’t rolling in money. Fuel costs are a burden, operating costs are rising, there are never enough planes available, and new routes are studied with a fine-tooth comb. No one launches an intercontinental route out of diplomatic courtesy. It takes numbers, steady demand, solid agreements, and prospects for profit.
But something has changed compared to the past. Italy and Kenya are communicating more today. Italian tourism continues to view the combination of safaris and the sea with interest. And the Kenyan coast is hungry for a real revival, not just slogans. Malindi, Watamu, and the entire tourism industry know that without modern accessibility, they risk remaining beautiful but remote.
Perhaps, then, this time it’s not just a diplomatic formality. Perhaps this is the moment when interests truly align. Italy is looking for solid markets and destinations, Kenya is looking for investments and connections, and the coast is looking for a breath of fresh air.
No one can guarantee that tomorrow we’ll see a plane take off from Rome and land in Malindi. But for the first time in a while, somewhere between caution and hope, the idea seems less far-fetched than usual. And around here, where tourism thrives on anticipation, that’s no small thing.