Forget trade shows, the Global Rokitfest is the networking event you can’t miss
Rokitfest is a coming together of like-minded souls doing what they love most: experiencing the transformative power of travel. The networking and business development almost happens by accident.
It’s just past 10 a.m. and the equatorial sun is already high in the sky. We traipse out onto the pier and find seats on the waiting boats. We’ve barely had time to buckle our life jackets when the engines roar into life. We skid across the Gulf of Chiriquí, bouncing from wave to wave and getting occasionally drenched by sea spray.
As DMC representative Betsy Emmanuel, who flew all the way from India, puts it, “Rokitfest is not your conventional travel fair. Refreshingly informal and held in an exotic destination, it feels like coming to a best friend’s party.”
As Betsy continues: “The three days of interactions included engaging discussions between Destination Experts and DMCs, sharing product information around a curated marketplace and learning to build the future of travel through tech.”
A paradisical reveal as we arrived at Isla Parida, Panama.
After half an hour or so, the picture-perfect, palm-fringed beach of Isla Parida comes into view, the scent of barbecue smoke wafting across the bay. We tumble out of the boats (some more eagerly than others) into knee-deep water, and make our way to the palapa (rustic bar) above the high-water mark. Clutching cups of sangria and ice-cold beers, we wade into the lukewarm Pacific for a paddle and a chat.
Our group of 62 travel planners, Rokit representatives, and DMC partners has been together less than 24 hours, but already we are forging bonds and working out how each individual fits into the Rokitplace. Last night we danced and talked till the small hours in a Panama City bar, and now we are playing beach bat and eating shrimp on a tropical beach. We don’t know it yet, but we will soon be brought even closer together when an unseasonable deluge floods some of the hotel rooms at our jungle retreat in Boquete.
Rokitfest is different from other travel events because it actually is a travel event. It’s easy to talk the talk, but Rokitfest walks the walk. Over the course of four days, we hike to an orchid-strewn waterfall, taste Arabica coffee at source on a high-altitude plantation, navigate impossibly tight airport check-ins, and don our glad rags for a fittingly festive finale surrounded by frangipanis and bell-towers. We also participate in focus groups and discussions that “lift the hood” on the potential of Rokitplace to reinvent the way we all do our jobs.
Getting to know Panama’s culture through coffee during the 2025 Global Rokitfest.
Here’s what southern Africa DMC Pippa Hopkins had to say about the experience: “My highlight of the Rokitfest was that not only were the daily excursions tailored to really showcase the destination to its maximum. But they also allowed immersive time together to build relationships with the management team and the Destination Experts in a relaxed setting that was so much more effective than any other conference I have attended.”
More than just a good time
Of course, Rokitfest is not merely a party. Two full mornings of meetings, keynotes and networking are jam-packed with insights and learning. The fact that we have all hiked and swum and danced together makes the connections both immediate and deep.
Spending time with the people who use Rokitplace to plan trips and the software developers who built and maintain Rokitplace gives DMC partners unique insights into how Rokitplace works. Once you understand how it works, it’s much easier to maximize the benefit Rokitplace can bring to your business. And being able to chat to the CIO over a cold one, puts you on the inside lane for the next round of innovation.
Global partners gather in person to connect, collaborate, and plan for the future.
As Argentina DMC representative Florencia Casañas says, “The marketplace was definitely one of the highlights. Meeting the DEs and the Rokitplace team in person, seeing how the Rokit platform works firsthand, exchanging ideas, and clearing up questions that will ultimately help us sell better.”
What is Rokitplace?
Rokitplace is a marketplace, powered by a powerful software engine called Rokit, that connects travel planners with suppliers. It’s an Uberized platform for the custom, private travel industry.
Travel planners can choose from over 15,000 services (ranging from hotels and tours to transfers and flights) from more than 50 countries. To make life even easier, there are 500+ customizable trip templates which make planning and pricing an entire trip something that can be done in just a few minutes. The best part? The cost of the trip is automatically calculated based on travel dates, and the software will even suggest a retail price for you.
DMCs plug into the back-end of the engine, uploading services and prices and even suggesting or creating entire trip templates. Because you are the sole provider for a country or region, you know that every trip booked to your country will come to you. What’s more, the pricing software means that trips are often already sold when you first hear about them. And when you do hear about them, quoting and invoicing is a doddle.
Watch this video to learn more:
Why should I attend Rokitfest?
We could reel off dozens of reasons to join us in Cusco, Peru this November. But we thought you’d be more interested to hear from some of the 20 DMC partners who joined us in Panama in 2025.
“When I was invited to the Rokitfest I wasn’t sure what to expect or how effective it would be for me as a DMC. I returned having found it to be a fantastic experience. Africa is still a fairly new destination for Rokitplace, so the festival gave me the opportunity to meet the Destination Experts who work with the region and showcase my part of Africa. The evenings were dedicated to networking, which further strengthened relationships not only with the DEs but also with the management team behind SA Expeditions. During the day, we went on excellent excursions, and these were thoughtfully organized so that Africa experts and Africa DMCs were often placed in the same groups. Overall, the event was not only a great networking opportunity for a DMC to promote their destination and generate business, but it was also a lot of fun.”
“Rokitfest was a truly incredible opportunity to promote the destination I represent – Portugal – to travel agents actively interested in selling it. Beyond the formal presentations, it was fantastic to meet all the attendees personally and share informal moments. The insights received, both from formal sessions and casual discussions on various tourism market topics, were highly inspiring and immediately applicable to my work. Ultimately, every moment was a blend of enjoyment and productive work.”
“What I appreciated most about Rokitfest was the opportunity to meet the Destination Experts face to face. Having direct conversations and receiving honest feedback about their experiences was extremely valuable. It also created the perfect space to discuss which destinations may need additional training or information to help them sell more effectively. Beyond that, spending time together as a group helped strengthen our commercial relationships. Understanding each other’s dynamics makes communication smoother and ultimately helps everyone work together more efficiently.”
To truly understand what Rokitfest is, you have to understand what it is not
Rokitfest is not a conference, it’s an adventure.
Rokitfest is not a marketing exercise. Because everyone who attends is already part of the Rokitplace platform, there’s no need to worry about competitors from your country.
Rokitfest is not a trade fair. It’s a coming together of DMCs and travel planners who are linked by a common thread: their use of Rokitplace.
This year, we’re bringing Rokitfest to Peru’s Sacred Valley from 1-4 November 2026.
Attendance is by invitation only.
