Ramdas Shenoy gets a quick byte with Dr. Vikram Kamat on hospitality sector and other insights.
Dr. Vikram Kamat is synonymous with hospitality, with a professional journey spread across over a nearly two decades. He is All India National Council’s Gold Medalist and Topper Hotel Management from IHM, Mumbai. After which he completed his Masters in Hospitality from Pune University and Received his Doctorate in Business Administration from George Washington University USA.
Vikram launched the successful 4 star premium hotel brand ‘VITS’ at an early age of 22. From then, to taking VITS international now with countries like Thailand. Food & Beverages is the chain’s biggest strength and they group is proud to be known as “THE FOOD PEOPLE”. The group is also widely known for its chain of vegetarian highway restaurants under the brand Kamats, which is also the largest, and only multi brand cloud kitchen chain to be listed on BSE under Vidli Restaurants Ltd.
With famous Restaurant & Delivery brands like Urban Dhaba, Pepper Fry , Wah Malvan,Vidli Vada. Many having won awards from the likes of HT Media , Golden spoon awards and others.
He was also instrumental in the family ventures of establishing India’s first ecotel chain of 5-star hotels – Orchid and expansion to over 1000 rooms in Mumbai & other cities. The brands have gained a cult status for themselves in the hospitality industry since their inception. He has 2 patents applied in his name. His Hospitality management principles like “7 Behaviours of Leaders” are quoted often. With Numerous awards , prizes and recognitions, over the years, Vikram has established himself as an entrepreneur, hotelier and even an author with 8 books to his credit.
How do you see the Hospitality industry reviving in the Co-Covid scenario?
While investors have shied away due to lockdown . No one can deny the importance of hospitality. Everyone has been yawning all this while as to when they can travel again and go out to eat. So customers have realised the importance of hospitality
What is your vision for the VITS group and your journey so far?
We have always been known as the food people and pride ourselves for creating restaurants hotels Cloud Kitchen is all around food and beverage excellence and leadership and that continues to remain a vision to be foremost in the food business
What are the critical success factors for running a great hospitality venture?
In today’s scenario most hoteliers would save money and funds but in reality what Hospitality always relies on is great people
How has the digital world impacted marketing of hospitality business– with specific focus on influencer marketing?
Marketing always remains the same it’s only with time the mediums that change many years ago the focus was on print media then came television radio and now Digital so marketing principles remains the same but fine tuning it for the media is what changes with time
What do we as a country with so much of natural resources need to focus on to bring India as the No.1 Tourist destination?
To become number one In the Tourism space what is lacking from us is the intention and seriousness to become number one. With our natural resources and large population our entire focus is principally on manufacturing and resource extraction.
What would be your advice to young professionals specifically in the Hospitality sector?
Not to get disheartened and stick with it because this is one of the best industries to create a fabulous career in which can give you experiences exposure culture and life long experience of meeting and working with great people.
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