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Mr. Vincent Ramos-Senior Vice President of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL)
Mr. Vincent Ramos is a man who needs no introduction. He is the Senior Vice President of the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), Goa region. After a successful stint of spearheading the Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) in Goa as the Area Director since 2017, Mr. Ramos, in his current role, continues to provide strategic direction to IHCL hotels within the region.
A perfectionist with over a decade of management experience, Mr. Ramos has been instrumental in the expansion of IHCL in Goa, across its group of brands - Taj, SeleQtions, Vivanta , Ginger, amã Stays & Trails, Qmin, and TajSats. Under his governance, IHCL witnessed transformative growth in the region leading to greater profitability and market leadership in each of the relative market segments.
Amidst the challenging business circumstances posed by the pandemic, Mr. Ramos demonstrated exceptional leadership in effectively positioning IHCL’s various brands in Goa and has not only effectively represented the brand but has also been the voice of the industry as a whole, within the geography. The optimization of costs and enhancement in revenue in Goa during his tenure is testimony to Mr. Ramos’s drive towards excellence. Moreover, he has been actively involved with the local state authorities to achieve benchmark standards for tourism in Goa. He is appointed as Mentor or the Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) Committee – Tourism vertical and is a part of the Managing Committee of the Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) as an Executive Member as well as the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Goa.
Educational Qualifications
Hailing from the beautiful island of Chorao in Goa, Mr. Ramos completed his schooling at Monte de Guirim School and later graduated from the Institute of Hotel Management, Goa. He obtained his Master’s degree in Business Administration from S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai and furthermore achieved prestigious academic certifications from IIM Ahmedabad, Cornell University and Nanyang University Singapore. Mr. Ramos has been previously awarded the ‘Unsung Hero of the Hospitality Industry’ in 2017 and
‘Most Admired General Manager of the Decade’ in 2018.
His Journey in the Hospitality Industry
Being a Goan at heart, Mr. Ramos states that he had the natural flair to set foot into the hospitality sector. “My journey so far has been phenomenal, more so because I have been under the guidance of IHCL’s pioneering leadership which is backed by a rich 118years legacy. It is indeed a privilege to be part of a team that personifies the hallmark of Indian hospitality”, he says. Given the dynamic nature of this industry, each new day in his professional life has brought with it a new learning.
Mr. Ramos’s journey with IHCL began when he joined in the Food & Beverage Service as part of the pre-opening team at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Goa in 1999. During his tenure at Taj Exotica, Mr. Ramos progressed from Senior Restaurant Manager to higher ranks and was eventually assigned the role of Resident Manager in May 2007. “This career progression was an intense learning experience, it was the foundation of the path that lay ahead of me”, he says.
In July 2008, Mr. Ramos was appointed as the General Manager of Vivanta by Taj, Kumarakom in Kerala where he spent a year and a half striving to turn around the property from a loss-making venture into a profitable one. His success in turning around the fortunes of the loss-making Vivanta property resulted in him being appointed as the General Manager of Taj Malabar, Cochin, IHCL’s flagship property in Kerala, in the year in 2010. During this phase, the Taj group in Kerala became extremely popular with tourists. This was a result of several new changes that Vincent brought about, which resulted in both hotels bagging several awards, including Taj Malabar, Cochin winning the prestigious Taj Hotel of the Year award in 2013.
Mr. Vincent Ramos’ success streak continued when he was rewarded with a new role as General Manager of the coveted Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur in 2013. His sincere and dedicated efforts in his new assignment resulted in Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur being awarded with ‘Best Hotel of the World Award’ by TripAdvisor in 2016.
Mr. Ramos’ long and enriching journey that began with Taj Exotica in Goa saw him return to the very same property as General Manager in November 2016. During his second stint at the resort, Taj.
Exotica was voted as the 5th best resort hotel in India and 28th best hotel in the world by Travel + Leisure’s annual World’s Best Awards in 2018. In 2017, Vincent was appointed as the Area Director –IHCL, Goa.
Having worked in the hospitality industry for decades, Mr. Ramos has had the honour of leading iconic hotels from across the country, during which he has brought numerous accolades to India. The most recent recognition under his leadership include IHCL, Goa being awarded the ‘Best Team Achievement Award’ for business performance through innovation at the Worldwide Hospitality Awards 2021 in Paris.
Having started his career in Goa, it came full circle when he was appointed as the Senior Vice President - Goa, “In my new role, I am humbled to be in service of the state and look forward to IHCL’s growth in the region”, he adds.
Success Strategy
Mr. Ramos, who is known for his ability to turn lossmaking hotels into profit-making ventures, says that the strategy which he applies is very simple. “Every hotel has a unique offering that caters to a particular target audience. The travel industry in India caters to millions of tourists each year, and market positioning is the key for any hotel business", he says. He also says that adapting to changing customer demands is another important factor in this rapidly evolving industry. “Personalized and customized service is a crucial differentiator that drives immense loyalty among customers. In a highly competitive market, it is imperative to identify core competitive strengths and use them as the founding pillars of any business strategy”, he says. “Moreover, innovation complying with the ever-changing market trends keeps one ahead of its competition”, he adds.
Contribution to Social Welfare in Goa
Being the son of Goan soil, Mr. Ramos strives through IHCL for the local communities in his home state to share in the benefits of IHCL’s presence with maximized local employment and new avenues for potential business opportunities. In this way, he ensures that IHCL will continue to contribute to the state’s tourism growth story. “We give back to society by enabling livelihoods for less privileged target groups through skilling and leveraging our business value chain to support traditional art, heritage and social purpose organizations”, he says. “Additionally, our hotels support the neighboring communities in Goa by maintaining and promoting public spaces, tourism spots and heritage sites. We also collaborate with public welfare groups to amplify our reach in service of the local community”, he adds.
During the pandemic, various initiatives were carried out by IHCL properties across the state in aid of those who were deeply affected by the pandemic and in support of the healthcare workers.
Trends In The Hospitality Sector During The Pandemic
“2020 was a year that altered lives and businesses and reshaped the travel and hospitality landscape. The pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge and created a new, altered reality. Safety and hygiene are now the prime deciding factors in travel”, says Mr. Ramos. “At IHCL, we detailed a comprehensive five-point mitigation strategy—R.E.S.E.T 2020—that catered to the rapidly changing market conditions, government policies and dynamic customer needs.
Keeping the well-being of IHCL's guests and associates at heart, IHCL developed enhanced and exacting safety protocols in accordance with the norms laid down by World Health Organization (WHO), Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Government of India. New SOPs and their stringent implementation among our own staff played a vital role in our ability to carry this across to our guests. I-ZEST: IHCL’s ZeroTouch Service Transformation – a suite of digital solutions was introduced across our hotels to ensure social distancing for both, guests and associates, while maintaining secure and seamless services”, he adds.
The Current Performance of the Tourism Industry in Goa
Mr. Ramos is confident that currently the tourism industry is performing phenomenally well in Goa. He says that the business influx continues to thrive due to the pent-up demand in domestic travel. “Since Goa was the only state to cater to the domestic market during the pandemic, it had the advantage of leading the tourism segment compared to the rest of the country where impacts of the pandemic were far more severe. With ease in restrictions and gradual opening of international travel, we are looking forward to a healthy and strong financial year ahead”, he says.
Goa as a Booming Tourist Destination Despite the Pandemic
With the pandemic confining everyone to their homes, travel has never been so sought after and has been more exhilarating than it is right now. “Goa has always been a popular travel destination and continues to thrive despite the pandemic”, says Mr. Ramos. “Lately, the state has seen an augmented surge in weddings, MICE and domestic leisure. It comes as no surprise, given that we are a matured leisure destination with high quality hospitality offerings that match international travel standards. Unlike other states in the country, tourism is the backbone of Goa’s economy, with 40% of the population directly or indirectly dependent on it.
Hence, we are constantly focussed towards adapting the tourism landscape to meet the changing demands and expectations of today’s traveller.”
“Additionally, Goa has a well-developed infrastructure with an international airport that is in line with its importance as a recognized leisure destination”, he adds.
IHCL’s Future Plans for the Goa region
IHCL has recently announced ‘Ahvaan 2025’ - a three-pronged strategy to grow profitably in the coming years. Speaking on the announcement, Mr. Ramos explains “This strategy will further accelerate profitable growth by scaling IHCL’s diversified brand portfolio across its traditional and new businesses. amã Stays & Trails, a group of heritage bungalows, guesthouses and homestays will witness new additions to its portfolio in Goa in the current financial year.
We are also working towards expanding other brands in the region”, he says. “Furthermore, with the food and beverage industry thriving, Goa will witness the addition of the globally acclaimed Italian cuisine restaurant Paper Moon and 7Rivers Brewpub to IHCL’s exquisite array of bars and restaurants”, he added.
