Sarah-Jane Tilbury, Leadership, Commercial Accumen and do penguins have knees?
Episode Description
In this episode of Tourism Matters, join Carmen Bold as she chats with Sarah-Jane Tilbury about building a career in tourism that spans international travel, operational leadership and general management.
Sarah-Jane shares her journey from growing up in the UK and entering the tourism industry through travel and car rental, to moving to Australia and stepping into senior leadership roles. The conversation explores leadership, team dynamics, commercial thinking and the challenges of managing tourism businesses through major disruptions such as COVID-19.
What you'll take away from this episode
• Why leadership in tourism is about empowering teams to succeed
• How careers in tourism often evolve through unexpected opportunities
• The importance of commercial thinking in tourism operations
• Lessons from managing tourism businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Why networking and strong industry relationships matter in tourism careers
• Advice for professionals looking to move into general management roles
It’s funny. It’s honest. And underneath the laughter is a really sharp conversation about what modern tourism leadership actually looks like.
About Sarah-Jane
Sarah-Jane Tilbury is a tourism leader with experience across travel operations, hospitality and visitor attractions. Her career has taken her from the UK to Australia, working across multiple tourism sectors and ultimately stepping into general management roles.
Known for her people-first leadership style, Sarah-Jane focuses on empowering teams, building strong organisational cultures and delivering high-quality visitor experiences while maintaining strong commercial performance.
Connect with Sarah-Jane on LinkedIn
Organisations and industry references mentioned
Hepburn Bathhouse & Spa: https://hepburnbathhouse.com/
Belgravia Leisure: https://belgravialeisure.com.au/
SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium: https://www.visitsealife.com/melbourne/
SeaLink: https://www.sealink.com.au/
Tourism Holdings Limited: https://www.thlonline.com
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction to SJ Tilbury and her tourism career
03:00 Early life in the UK and first exposure to travel
06:00 Starting a career in tourism and travel industries
09:00 Moving into the car rental sector
12:00 Career growth in tourism operations
15:00 Leadership lessons and managing teams
18:00 Moving to Australia and new tourism opportunities
21:00 Working with Tourism Holdings Limited
25:00 Transition into senior tourism leadership roles
29:00 Managing visitor attractions and working with animals
33:00 Empowering teams and leadership philosophy
39:00 Education, conservation and visitor engagement
45:00 Balancing commercial success with team wellbeing
49:00 Navigating tourism operations during COVID-19
57:00 Team culture, leadership and difficult conversations
01:00:00 Career transitions and networking in tourism
01:08:00 Executive roles and industry leadership
01:12:00 The rise of wellness tourism
01:20:00 Advice for aspiring tourism professionals