V Villas Phuket — Photo by Accor

In honor of Women’s History Month, the hospitality industry lifts up the women in leadership positions across the world who are paving the way for more women to rise to leadership roles in their respective fields. Pannaphat Lapa is the Resort Manager of V Villas Phuket, an award-winning 19-villa luxury resort in a top travel and tourism destination. Even in today’s climate, managers of 5-star hotels are predominantly male executives, so Lapa is utilizing her influential position to create space for mentorship and open communication among her teams, with the mission of seeing more women in leadership roles in the future. 

When did you know you wanted to pursue a career in hospitality?
I fell in love with hospitality right away, in my first role as a hotel guest services agent. I could see the career path I wanted to pursue, and learned how to navigate my position by giving my 100%. I volunteered for extra assignments, was receptive to feedback and learned new tasks outside of my scope of work. As I pursued more elevated positions, I continued to apply these business methods and move my career forward to my job today as resort manager at V Villas Phuket.

Why is it important to support women in hospitality?
Today, women have the opportunity to become leaders in a historically male-dominated industry, and companies are putting a bigger emphasis on hiring women for leadership roles. At our property, we firmly believe that we can only succeed when both the staff and the guests are looked after. This means doing our best to create an enjoyable ecosystem where all employees feel that they can grow and succeed at V Villas Phuket.

What are the most important actions female allies in the hospitality industry can do to support up and coming colleagues?
First, it is not always about grand gestures, but the daily acts to advocate for female co-workers. By creating space for women to be heard - making it a priority to learn from and listen to each other through presenting in key meetings and helping implement their ideas - we’re not only building up the self-confidence of women in hospitality, but also creating a better overall staff and hotel guest experience.

Also, this interaction between mid-level managers and higher leadership executives helps women navigate the corporate ladder and guide them on how to best position themselves for the next step.

How important is mentorship?
For our property, we value organic mentorship and support where employees feel comfortable sharing opinions and challenges without an official channel. Mentoring programs truly helped me learn from other leaders - I actually have two mentors - one within our organization and one outside of it. They not only help teach me how to excel in my career but are well equipped to offer unbiased opinions and advice that works in my best interest.

No leader in this industry got to where they are now on their own. Speaking to those looking to mentor others, be mindful of mentoring women who might be more reserved or haven't found their voice yet. You can make a difference by providing them the knowledge and tools to be confident in decision making.

Looking at your career, what would you say has been the biggest challenge so far? And what was the most rewarding moment?
My most challenging time in leadership was opening V Villas Phuket during Covid-19. There was so much uncertainty and disruption; the old patterns and paradigms were suddenly defunct. A leader's attitude during a crisis is the most important for success. In this situation, I actively communicated with the team, walked the hotel floor so they could easily approach me with concerns, and used positive reinforcement that we were doing our best as a team. The staff jumped in and understood their roles had expanded to more tasks, and as a result of their willingness and flexibility, we were able to make GOP after three months of opening during a pandemic, best service charge in Thailand three months in a row in 2022, and continued positive guest feedback. Our executive team had additional great support and guidance from our Cluster General Manager, Mr. Nicolas Peth.

Any advice you’d give someone who wants to work for you?
In your career, you can only control what you can control and not view gender, nationality or age as an obstacle. Also, continue to work on self-confidence, understanding that you have the tools and ability to lead teams and add value to the bottom line when applying for executive positions. Lead by example and inspire others to always give their best.

About V Villas Phuket

V Villas Phuket – MGallery on Phuket’s Southern coastline is an exclusive pool villa resort offering unparalleled privacy and luxury. To stay at V Villas Phuket is to be amidst lush greenery, panoramic sea views, and bespoke design that is brimming with unique character. Featuring 19 private luxury villa pools and an outstanding rooftop bar with 360 degree ocean and night sky views, V Villas Phuket is for well-heeled travelers, families, and couples seeking their own personal slice of paradise. The resort is conveniently situated 15 minutes away from the cultural landmark of Phuket Old Town and easily accessible from nearby Phuket International Airport. Rediscover Phuket and luxury travel with V Villas Phuket. For more information, please visit www.vvillasphuket.com