Singapore travel company responds after criticisms over alleged planning and safety lapses on Madagascar expedition, Lifestyle News

AsiaOne

4 days ago

A Singapore-based adventure travel company has responded to criticisms regarding alleged planning and safety issues on a recent expedition to Madagascar, voiced by some participants.
In a post on Tuesday (July 16), Beyond Expeditions, founded by husband-and-wife team Scott Tay and Kavita Kaur, shared that it was aware of these concerns and that they are being taken seriously.
"We hear you and we're already taking concrete steps to improve pre-trip communication, terrain briefings, and daily pacing on future expeditions," the company said, acknowledging that "while many found the experience powerful", some felt "unprepared or concerned about elements of the journey".
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The statement appears to come after several posts and reviews by participants raised concerns about what they view to be a lack of safety protocols and planning on a recent charity expedition to Madagascar.
Sports marketing agency owner Cheryl Tay, 38, had detailed this in a review posted on her Instagram Story on June 24.
She later highlighted the "operational shortcomings" she'd encountered and the subsequent one-star Google review she gave for Beyond Expeditions in a Reel on July 11, which has garnered more than 251,000 views as of writing.
In it, she claimed that each participant paid a premium of almost $10,000 for the charity expedition, which "ended up feeling like a recce hike".
The cost included $6,990 for the tour, and over $2,000 for their flights.
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She alleged gaps in safety during the trip, such as when she'd gotten lost "a few times" on the trek being in the middle of the group "with no guide", and more seriously, how some participants had "gotten stuck" while canyoning.
Speaking to AsiaOne, Cheryl elaborated on one particular cave exploration which she'd alleged the participants were not informed of prior to the trip. It entailed squeezing through tight crevices in wet and dark conditions, and they were not given any safety equipment like helmets.
"It was one of the participants in front who realised the dangers. Only then did Scott move forward to take a look at the rest of the cave and realised that it was too technical," said Cheryl, adding that as a result some participants were rejected from the cave exploration.
"Eventually, the programme for the rest of that day was cancelled," she claimed.
In her posts, she also wrote that the group was wading through a river for four to five hours, including sections of stagnant water, "which is something not to be taken lightly".
Among the eight "pain-points" that she listed, Cheryl highlighted inaccurate briefs regarding the climate and terrain, leading many in her group to suffer "blisters and cuts" due to extensive walks while wearing sandals.
"We were not told that we would be walking in a river for four hours. Otherwise, I would have brought water shoes for better protection as we got blisters and cuts from wearing improper footwear," she told AsiaOne. Safety the 'highest priority': Beyond Expeditions
The trip, which was organised as a charity expedition, took place from June 2 to 12 and involved 16 participants, alongside Scott and Kavita, said Cheryl.
Cheryl noted that since her post, over 40 individuals, comprising past participants and former staff, had stepped forward to relate their "bad experiences with Beyond Expeditions on other trips as well as while working with Scott".
"What's alarming is that there seems to be a recurring pattern of lapses in safety and communication, and dismissing of valid feedback by the founders," she said.
In its statement on Instagram, Beyond Expeditions shared that safety has always been the company's "highest priority", adding that the expedition was supported by a 58-person ground team and there were "licensed local crews, a trained nurse and medical protocols" in place.
"Emergency protocols were outlined in our handbook, with satellite phone access and identified hospitals along the route."
"Still, we recognise the emotional and physical demands of raw terrain, and we're strengthening our expedition design to better prepare our participants," the company said, adding that it has reached out directly to the concerned individuals and "remain open to conversation".
As to why she decided to speak out, Cheryl told AsiaOne that the matter "concerns safety and people's lives and feedback should be taken seriously, with ownership and accountability", she said.
She added that Beyond Expeditions' responses to her feedback so far had been "defensive".
"I needed to say something as it's my responsibility towards my audience to be honest with them," she shared. 'Roles felt blurred'
Actor, host and social media personality J Jaikishan, better known as Kishan, was also on the same trip as Cheryl. He had also spoken out on his experience in an Instagram post on July 11, pointing out "a lack of knowledge of the terrain, risk management and clear communication" on Beyond Expeditions' part.
"Truth be told, the roles felt blurred. Participants often stepped up to be leaders in challenging scenarios, and leaders moved like participants," he stated.
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"As someone who was fully sponsored and positioned as an ambassador for the trip, I feel a deep sadness and responsibility to share my perspectives," he'd added, while also noting the positives such as the connections forged, the "unforgettable sights" and "deep learnings".
Cheryl and some others on social media also brought up the need for stricter regulations when it comes to travel agencies.
"Adventure travel inherently carries more risk, so I feel there should be stronger regulations to help safeguard participants and support responsible operators," Cheryl said.
Cheryl noted that while Beyond Expeditions' statement on July 15 is "a step forward", it still "falls short of full accountability" in her opinion.
"The concerns raised weren't just about discomfort, they involved serious lapses in planning and safety," she told AsiaOne.
AsiaOne has reached out to Beyond Expeditions for comment.
However, not all experiences offered by Beyond Expeditions have been negative.
Former Beyond Expeditions participant and collaborator Shawne Koh told AsiaOne that he didn't have any major negative experiences with the company, with whom he had worked with to provide coverage and content.
"Terrain wise, it's a lot less technical compared to Madagascar, so there were no major safety red flags for mine. Timings were fluid, and sometimes we start later than expected. Plans can change, so we mostly just went with the flow," he shared of his two trips to Mongolia in 2019 and 2022 with Beyond Expeditions.
The company has garnered 3.9 stars based on 76 reviews on Google, and at least 51 of them are five-star reviews.
While there were several others who gave one-star reviews based on their experiences, the company has also received a significant number of positive reviews from former participants who had gone on other expeditions to countries such as Mongolia and Bhutan.
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One participant, Lim Li Shan, 32, told The Straits Times that she gave positive reviews on the four trips that she'd gone for with Beyond Expeditions.
She felt that the company had "fulfilled their basic responsibilities to the travel group", and itineraries were adequately planned with safety in mind, the report added.
But some in the reviews, including Cheryl, also wondered if the trip was worth the premium that they'd paid.
Towards the "higher-than-usual" expedition fee, Beyond Expeditions said in their statement that this was due to Madagascar's "remoteness and manual terrain support" which required a large local team.
"Flights, safety staff, and the inclusion of media crew to document the cause contributed to higher logistics costs. These were communicated in pre-trip materials," they stated.
They also added that moving forward, they would be implementing enhanced measures such as "dual pre-trip briefings" and "increasing day-by-day terrain guidance".
"We accept that not every experience was perfect and take this feedback as an opportunity to improve. Our commitment remains: to create a meaningful, safe, and purposeful travel experiences that genuinely benefit local communities."
Beyond Expeditions, which started in 2017, has organised more than 1,000 tours specialising in remote destinations such as Mongolia and Central Asia, reported The Straits Times.
The Madagascar trip in June was to Madagascar's Makay Massif, described as "a remote and rugged region full of stunning canyons, verdant forests, and unique wildlife".
The charity expedition, which was raising funds through their Give.Asia campaign, had collected $12,285 of their $80,000 goal. According to the page's description, the proceeds will go towards building a school in the area for over 75 children.
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