The Life and Legacy of Franco Rosso

A Pioneer in Swiss Tourism and Founder of Malindi’s Plan hotel Hospitality Group.

Franco Rosso, the tourism pioneer, and founder of Franco Rosso International – one of Italy’s leading tour operators – passed away on Monday 27 March 2023 in Lugano, Switzerland, aged 94. He is remembered for launching Kenya on the Italian market 50 years ago with the first charter flight from Italy to Nairobi.

Franco’s love for Kenya began in 1967 when he and his late wife, Amalia, visited East Africa for a month-long vacation. After falling in love with the country, he decided to invest in Malindi and opened his first hotel, Tropical Village, on Casuarina Beach. He followed this with Diamonds Dream of Africa and the adjacent Coconut and Malindi Beach Hotel, opening his fourth property, Sandies Malindi Dream Garden, in 2018.

Today, Diamond Dream of Africa is Africa’s leading all-inclusive resort, having been awarded in the World Travel Awards in 2021 and 2022, as well as Africa’s Leading Beach Hotel in 2012.

Franco leaves behind three children, Sara, Paolo and Alessandro. The funeral ceremony will be held at the Tempio Crematorio di Lugano, Via Trevano at 14:00 on Thursday, 30 March, followed by a wake at The View Lugano, Via Guidino 29 at 15:00.

In Kenya, a memorial service will be held at 15:00 on Thursday, 30 March at Sandies Tropical Village, Casuarina Road, Malindi, to celebrate the life of Franco Rosso, the man who left a lasting legacy in the tourism industry.