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.<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2025 Women in Travel Awards Mentor of the Year \u2013 and Women in Travel Power List member for two years running \u2013\u00a0Poten has made championing others a defining part of her career.<\/p>\n This year, she has added another industry leadership role to her portfolio, joining the CATO Committee to contribute her experience to advocacy for Australia\u2019s touring and wholesale sector.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Ahead of this year\u2019s 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.<\/span> Read her full interview below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To me, \u201cnever too much\u201d means being authentic and confident in your intentions,\u00a0abilities\u00a0and 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. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n In the context of this year\u2019s Women in Travel Awards, \u201cnever too much\u201d feels like a powerful message to women at every career stage, especially the rising stars of our industry. <\/span><\/p>\n Speak with confidence about what you want to achieve. Take up space without diminishing yourself to make others comfortable. Aim high, work\u00a0hard\u00a0and allow your ambition to shine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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\u00a0Richardson\u00a0and Melissa Elf. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n I was\u00a0immediately\u00a0struck by the strength of her presence, her fierce\u00a0intellect\u00a0and the clarity of her vision. She led with authority and ambition while\u00a0remaining\u00a0authentic and kind. <\/span><\/p>\n She inspired me, helping\u00a0establish\u00a0my aspirations for the kind of leader I wanted to become and the roles I might one day achieve. <\/span><\/p>\n I often quote Marian Wright Edelman, \u201cYou can\u2019t be what you can\u2019t see.\u201d 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n I\u00a0sought\u00a0valuable and honest feedback, assessed my skills against those\u00a0required\u00a0for 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. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n Despite my concern I\u00a0wouldn\u2019t\u00a0be selected, I was successful. I still remember the feeling washing over me of incredible pride and disbelief that I had\u00a0attained\u00a0my dream role.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n We are generally\u00a0very hard\u00a0on ourselves, and very generous with others.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0a cultural norm that women nurture and give of themselves through their time,\u00a0encouragement\u00a0and advocacy. <\/span><\/p>\n 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\u00a0warrant. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n The goal is not to ask for more than you deserve, but to ensure you are assessing your worth with the same objectivity,\u00a0confidence\u00a0and fairness that you would extend to someone else.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0allow self-doubt, external\u00a0perceptions\u00a0or unconscious bias to shape what you believe you are worth. <\/span><\/p>\n 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.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBreathe.\u00a0You\u2019ve\u00a0got this.\u201d 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. <\/span><\/p>\n 1. Breathing \u2013 as simple as it sounds \u2013 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 \u201camygdala hijack\u201d happening in your brain is breathe deeply, signalling to your body that you\u2019re not in fact in any danger. <\/span><\/p>\n 2. Evidence. The\u00a0second best\u00a0tool 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. \u201cI can\u2019t speak in front of this room!\u201d replied to internally by, \u201cbut\u00a0you\u2019ve\u00a0spoken in front of X, Y, Z successfully before.\u00a0You\u2019ve\u00a0got this.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n 3. Reframing fear as excitement. The physiological feeling of fear is actually\u00a0very close\u00a0for most people to the feeling of excitement. When fear sets in, instead of saying, \u201cI\u2019m nervous about\u2026\u201d I say to myself, \u201cI am so excited about!\u201d even if with a touch of irony. <\/span><\/p>\n Mind over matter. It may seem silly, but how you speak to yourself, and about yourself, matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Whenever I am asked this question my answer is, \u201cpack your patience.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n 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. <\/span><\/p>\n The person\u00a0assisting\u00a0you is rarely responsible for the problem, but they may be the person best placed to help resolve it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n You\u2019ll often find those stressful or upsetting events can turn into positive outcomes or experiences you won\u2019t otherwise have \u2013 or at least into good stories to tell!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year, Shelley was elected to the Council of Australian Tour Operators Committee, which provides strategic leadership and advocacy for Australia\u2019s touring and wholesale community within the broader ATIA framework.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n On-time entries for the 2026 Women in Travel Awards close Friday 25 September, with late entries closing Friday 2 October.<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Early bird pricing<\/a> ends on 3 November 2026. <\/strong><\/p>\nWhat does \u201cnever too much\u201d mean to you personally?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWho was the woman who showed you it was okay to take up space?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What\u2019s\u00a0the trip, the role, or the moment that felt\u00a0almost too\u00a0big to reach for?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What would you say to the woman\u00a0who\u2019s\u00a0still convincing herself to ask for less?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhat do you tell yourself in the moment before you step up?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
What\u2019s\u00a0the one travel item you\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0live without?\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Industry Advocacy through the CATO Committee <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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