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AsiaOne
3 days ago
- AsiaOne
Singapore travel company responds after criticisms over alleged planning and safety lapses on Madagascar expedition, Lifestyle News
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". [embed] 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. [embed] 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. [embed] "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. [embed] 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 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. candicecai@
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
Beyond Expeditions criticised for planning and safety lapses during Madagascar trip
Some participants have left online reviews of a charity expedition to Madagascar in June organised by local travel agency Beyond Expeditions, citing poor planning and safety lapses. SINGAPORE – Local travel agency Beyond Expeditions has drawn negative reviews for its handling of an 11-day charity expedition in Madagascar, with some participants criticising the 'safety gaps' and 'limited communication' online. The trip to the island nation off the south-eastern coast of Africa took place from Jun 2 to 12. It involved 15 Singapore participants and was led by both Beyond Expedition founders, Mr Scott Tay and Ms Kavita Kaur, as well as personal trainer Mr Nicholas Leong, who has worked with the company as an expedition leader on various occasions since 2017. Each participant paid $6,990 for the tour, which included accommodation, meals, ground transport, local guides and national park fees, and excluded airfare. Since returning from the trip, some participants who felt like their safety had been compromised have voiced their dissatisfaction. On Jun 24, Ms Cheryl Tay, 38, owner of a sports marketing agency, posted a one-star review of the trip on Beyond Expeditions' Google Maps profile relating what she calls 'safety gaps during treks, and limited communication or clarity around what to expect'. For example, she says pre-trip briefing materials, such as a set of slides and an expedition handbook seen by The Straits Times, did not inform the group of any caving activities. 'We were all just shuffling into the cave and came to a sudden stop because a fellow participant realised the dangers of the cave. That got us stuck and for around 10 minutes, the rest of us were waiting to move with no idea what was going on,' says Ms Tay. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Ms Cheryl Tay (pictured), owner of a sports marketing agency and one of the participants, says the group was not informed of caving activities prior to the trip. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHERYL TAY Another participant, local comedian Mr Jaikishan, 32, says Mr Tay surveyed the cave after some in the group voiced their concerns about unsafe obstacles. The activity was eventually canned. Mr Jaikishan says: 'I'm not an avid expeditioner or hiker and went into the cave even though I was quite afraid. To only hear from our overall expedition leader that the caves had certain risks after we all had entered and exited was not reassuring. It felt like the whole situation could have been avoided and a lot of communication was lacking.' One participant who says he is trained in land navigation, wilderness survival skills and basic first aid from his extensive experience in the outdoors told ST he was among the first in the group to enter the cave. Due to the nature of his job, he declined to reveal any identifying information. He says: 'We were not told that it was going to be so claustrophobic and so technical to navigate. After just a short while in the cave, I noticed people were already panicking and struggling. 'Among the most dangerous possibilities was that someone could've got seriously injured in the cave and because of how narrow it was, getting medical attention would have been an issue. Also, entering environments like these requires considerable mental preparation beforehand. If anyone had a nervous breakdown, it would have been hard to help them recover in that space,' he adds. In another instance, Ms Tay says while participants were informed that there would be 'at least three river crossings' via pre-trip briefing slides, the extent and duration of these river crossings were not well communicated. She says the group completed around 10 river crossings over four days, and that they did not expect one of the crossings to take around four hours. Ms Tay adds that she and other participants sustained blisters and cuts on their feet from prolonged water exposure in 'improper footwear' as they were instructed to change into sandals prior to the crossings. Ms Tay (pictured) says the cave passages were cramped and narrow. After some in the group voiced their concerns about unsafe obstacles, the activity was eventually canned. PHOTO: COURTESY OF CHERYL TAY More on this topic Singaporean man injured in Hungary cave rescued in 2 hours More on this topic Injured Italian caver rescued, again, after four days underground Mr Jaikishan was brought on the trip by the organisers as an ambassador and the cost of his trip was fully sponsored, including airfare. As an ambassador, he led several marketing initiatives such as arranging slots on local radio stations 98.7FM and Kiss92, where he, Mr Tay and Ms Kaur spoke about the trek's mission to raise funds for a Madagascan charity working with underprivileged children. Ms Tay received around a 20 per cent discount off the tour price for providing 'pre-trip marketing services', and paid for her own airfare which cost around $2,400. 'We were charged a premium for this trip so I think it is reasonable for us to have expected basic risk management and communication. Instead, it felt like we were relying excessively on the local operators who mostly were unable to speak English,' says Ms Tay, who is also a content creator with around 81,800 followers on Instagram. At least two other participants left one-star reviews on the company's Google profile in early July, citing 'poor decision making', 'a lack of route planning' and dismissiveness from organisers when they gave feedback. Since posting a reel about her experience on Instagram on Jul 7, Ms Tay says she has received accounts from more than 40 individuals regarding negative experiences with Beyond Expeditions. Her three-minute video has garnered over 241,000 views . However, not all participants had brickbats for the company, which has 51 five-star reviews out of the 74 on its Google profile, as at Jul 16. One such review from a participant on the Madagascar tour applauds the expedition leaders and a local guide named Lanto for 'being great leaders during the journey and showing immense patience towards all the queries posted by the team'. Yoga teacher Lim Li Shan, 32, who has been on five expeditions with Beyond Expeditions since 2017 – four to Mongolia and one to Ladakh, a region in northern India – also spoke out positively about her experiences. While her trips were neither charity expeditions like the Madagascar trek nor as physically taxing, she says Mr Tay – who was present on three of her trips as a 'tour leader and coordinator' – had sufficiently communicated what to expect and adequately planned the itineraries with safety in mind. 'I felt like the organisers fulfilled their basic responsibilities to the travel group. For example, they always made sure that I could chat with them through WhatsApp and would check in regularly with the local guides when we were abroad,' she told The Straits Times. The Straits Times reached out to the company for comment on July 11. In a July 16 post on Beyond Expeditions' Instagram account, the company acknowledged recent feedback from participants and announced new safety measures. These include enhanced pre-trip briefings, terrain guidance and direct participant feedback channels during expeditions. Beyond Expeditions started in 2017 and has organised over 1,000 tours specialising in remote destinations such as Mongolia and Central Asia. A 10-day trip to Kazakhstan, for instance, costs $7,990 a person and includes flights, meals, an English-speaking local guide and ground transport. The Madagascar trip, which has raised $12,285 of its $80,000 target for Madagascan non-profit Mamiratra ho an'ny Ankizy Association (Shine for the Children Association) so far, was part of the company's Beyond Limits expedition series, where participants raise funds to support a charitable organisation. The June trip is the ninth Beyond Limits expedition since the series began in 2017, with previous editions featuring treks in destinations like Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. More on this topic Off-grid getaway: Go camping, learn survival skills and sleep in a Mongolian yurt
