With more than 20 years across travel retail, corporate travel and tour operations, Albatross Tours Managing Director, Shelley Poten, has built a career around leadership, mentorship and making an impact.
The 2025 Women in Travel Awards Mentor of the Year – and Women in Travel Power List member for two years running – Poten has made championing others a defining part of her career.
This year, she has added another industry leadership role to her portfolio, joining the CATO Committee to contribute her experience to advocacy for Australia’s touring and wholesale sector.
For Poten, career progression has never been just about the next title. It is about backing herself, honing her skills and giving back to an industry that has shaped her own journey.
Ahead of this year’s Women in Travel Awards, Poten reflects on the women who showed her it was possible to take up space, the moments that tested her confidence and why Never Too Much is a message she believes women across the industry should embrace. Read her full interview below.
What does “never too much” mean to you personally?
To me, “never too much” means being authentic and confident in your intentions, abilities and ambitions. It is the belief that if you are willing to put in the work, remain open to learning and back yourself, you can do anything.
I was fortunate to be raised by an incredibly strong mother who taught me that anything is possible if you put your mind and best efforts to it.
That belief has stayed with me throughout my career, particularly during the moments when an opportunity felt bigger than my experience or confidence at the time.
In the context of this year’s Women in Travel Awards, “never too much” feels like a powerful message to women at every career stage, especially the rising stars of our industry.
Speak with confidence about what you want to achieve. Take up space without diminishing yourself to make others comfortable. Aim high, work hard and allow your ambition to shine.
Who was the woman who showed you it was okay to take up space?
I have been fortunate to have many strong female role models, from my mother and her remarkable strength of character to industry leaders including Danielle Galloway, Astrid Richardson and Melissa Elf.
My earliest and clearest career example was Dani. I met her when I was in my early twenties and had recently joined Flight Centre Corporate.
I was immediately struck by the strength of her presence, her fierce intellect and the clarity of her vision. She led with authority and ambition while remaining authentic and kind.
She inspired me, helping establish my aspirations for the kind of leader I wanted to become and the roles I might one day achieve.
I often quote Marian Wright Edelman, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” Dani showed me that it was possible to take up space with confidence, substance and purpose, and while doing so, created space for more women to follow.
What’s the trip, the role, or the moment that felt almost too big to reach for?
My very first General Manager role. I remember feeling so passionately about being the right person for it, and how much of a difference I could make, but feeling like it would be unattainable for me amongst the strong field of candidates that would be considered.
I sought valuable and honest feedback, assessed my skills against those required for the role, and worked studiously to close the gaps. I took on the principle of not needing a title to lead, and to behave like the role I aspired to; the senior person in my peer group.
I worked hard on my personal brand and reputation, building relationships and trust. Working on my character, and on my competence, I positioned myself to become the natural candidate.
Despite my concern I wouldn’t be selected, I was successful. I still remember the feeling washing over me of incredible pride and disbelief that I had attained my dream role.
What would you say to the woman who’s still convincing herself to ask for less?
Ask yourself why you are asking for less. Then consider what you would advise a friend in the same situation, or what you would expect a male colleague with equivalent experience and capability to ask for.
We are generally very hard on ourselves, and very generous with others. It’s a cultural norm that women nurture and give of themselves through their time, encouragement and advocacy.
Whilst it comes from a selfless place, it can also create unconscious bias, leading women to underestimate their own value, downplay their achievements, and ask for less than their experience, capability and contribution genuinely warrant.
At the same time, unconscious bias can influence how women are perceived when they do advocate strongly for themselves, with behaviours that are often viewed positively in men sometimes judged differently in women.
The goal is not to ask for more than you deserve, but to ensure you are assessing your worth with the same objectivity, confidence and fairness that you would extend to someone else. Don’t allow self-doubt, external perceptions or unconscious bias to shape what you believe you are worth.
Look objectively at what you contribute, the results you have achieved and the value you bring. Speak to trusted people who will tell you the truth, help you form a balanced view, and then create a clear business case.
What do you tell yourself in the moment before you step up?
“Breathe. You’ve got this.” Because I did not attend high school, I have wrestled with imposter syndrome at various points in my career. I have found three tools particularly valuable in the moments before I need to step up.
1. Breathing – as simple as it sounds – deep breaths actually impact you physiologically by calming your parasympathetic system and combating your fight or flight response. The best thing you can do for the “amygdala hijack” happening in your brain is breathe deeply, signalling to your body that you’re not in fact in any danger.
2. Evidence. The second best tool is keeping a clear record of your successes, so in those moments of self-doubt, you can overcome the irrational fear with the rational evidence. “I can’t speak in front of this room!” replied to internally by, “but you’ve spoken in front of X, Y, Z successfully before. You’ve got this.”
3. Reframing fear as excitement. The physiological feeling of fear is actually very close for most people to the feeling of excitement. When fear sets in, instead of saying, “I’m nervous about…” I say to myself, “I am so excited about!” even if with a touch of irony.
Mind over matter. It may seem silly, but how you speak to yourself, and about yourself, matters.
What’s the one travel item you can’t live without?
Whenever I am asked this question my answer is, “pack your patience.”
Travel is an exciting, enriching privilege, but as everyone in our industry knows, even the best-planned journey can go awry. Flights are delayed or diverted, luggage takes an unexpected holiday, weather intervenes and carefully arranged plans sometimes need to change.
In those moments, patience is the most valuable thing you can carry. Remain calm, treat the people around you with kindness and be open to the unexpected.
The person assisting you is rarely responsible for the problem, but they may be the person best placed to help resolve it.
You’ll often find those stressful or upsetting events can turn into positive outcomes or experiences you won’t otherwise have – or at least into good stories to tell!
Industry Advocacy through the CATO Committee
This year, Shelley was elected to the Council of Australian Tour Operators Committee, which provides strategic leadership and advocacy for Australia’s touring and wholesale community within the broader ATIA framework.
Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across travel retail, corporate travel and tour operations, Shelley contributes practical industry knowledge and represents small to medium tour operators on the Committee.
The appointment provides another opportunity to give back by contributing time and experience to strengthening the collective voice of tour operators and wholesalers and supporting the long-term development of the Australian travel industry.
On-time entries for the 2026 Women in Travel Awards close Friday 25 September, with late entries closing Friday 2 October.
Held at ivy Sydney, the December 2 ceremony will bring the industry together to celebrate the 2026 winners, unveil the Women in Travel Power List and crown the 2026 Woman of the Year.
Early bird pricing ends on 3 November 2026.
Entry criteria, nomination details and the full list of 2025 winners are available on the Women in Travel Awards website.
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