Borneo Travel.
In April this year [2014] BS 8848:14 was published. It is an important document for those working as expedition providers as it sets out standards to minimise the risks of adventure travel.
Our operating procedures, which have been in place since 1990, exceed in critical areas the standards set out in BS8848:14
While we are a fully licensed, UK registered company we are the marketing side of TYK Adventure Tours based in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo.
BS8848:14 can not be “evidenced” in Malaysia where we are based so we have asked the
Head of Sabah Tourism to write on our behalf. Please see below.
We would ask you to read the following carefully.
BORNEO TRAVEL – WHO WE ARE
The Travel Trading Company was established in the UK 1989 by Bob Jones.
In 1994 Bob met Tham Yau Kong and they started TYK Adventure Tours [Facebook page] based in Sabah, Malaysia. See more athttp://tykadventuretours.
The Travel Trading Company created the marketing name “Borneo Travel” over the next few years and became the only private company in the world to be awarded a national “.travel” domain name in 2009. “borneo.travel” is currently being redesigned.
Borneo Travel is a registered UK company.
borneo-travel.com is our ‘western’ marketing web site.
The Travel Trading Company [TTTC] / Borneo Travel and TYK Adventure are effectively a single unit though both are independent tour operators legally operating, licensed, bonded and insured in their own country.
Borneo Travel retails adventure holidays, exclusively in Borneo, Malaysian and Indonesian, via its website. TYK Adventure wholesale adventure holidays to travel agents and tour operators across the World.
TTTC / Borneo Travel has been a member of the Travel Trust Association for over 20 years. Our membership ensures financial protection to all clients.
The Travel Trading Company / Borneo Travel is a member of the Travel Trust Association [R6403 membership number]
This can be confirmed at http://www.traveltrust.co.
Borneo Travel retails adventure holidays, exclusively in Borneo, Malaysian and Indonesian, via its website. TYK Adventure wholesale adventure holidays to travel agents and tour operators across the World.
Our clients have included UK national charities, schools, tour operators, private companies team building as well as private individuals of all ages.
In Sabah and Sarawak TYK Adventure is the ground handler looking after clients from wherever they come including those arriving for the now famous Sandakan Death March Memorial treks, which we initiated, from Australia.
These include Australian cabinet members, the current Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Australian tour operators including the Australian schools supplier Antipodeans, https://antipodeans.com.au
The latest Brandt travel guide to Borneo entry states ; ‘Small operators with responsible travel written all over them. The multi-ethnic team from the director down is hands on involved in tours, each with their own particular forte.”
OUR STAFF
All of our staff are Malaysian living in the country. We do not gather our information about Sabah from a trade show in Europe, about Sarawak from the tourist board. Borneo is where we live.
Our guides have been trained in house by Tham, who is acknowledged as one of the countries leading and most innovative guides, and after their probationary two years most of them stay with us. Some are now bringing their sons and daughters into the company.
See more about some of our staff athttps://tykadventuretours.com/
SAFETY
We have spent 30 years looking after clients of all ages and abilities while they have been with us in Borneo.
We have never had an accident.
We have had to extract two people [on different occasions] from the jungle when their preparation less than they had verbalised. In each case this has been done in the minimum amount of time possible without compromise for the group’s safety.
We remain very vigilant and in no way complacent.
All guides have basic medical training and know where the nearest medical assistance is and how to access whatever is needed and in the regard communication is crucial. The support at the end of that call for assistance is paramount. Our office is contactable 24 hours a day every day with experience field managers on hand to make decisions as in conjunction with the guide on the spot and the client.
Modernisation of the infrastructure, especially with the telephone network, has made our radio phones and flares obsolete. Phone access, and therefore immediate support, along all of our trails is better than in many European countries.
We own our transport and can ensure that what we need is always in close proximity and available to us. Groups will have a vehicle on hand at all times to support those who tire or suffer minor injury such as blisters or sprained ankles. Our client / guide ratio is above all UK recommendations at 6:1 and 4:1 in the jungle or mountains. On the trail our venture leader will assign guides to to all sections of the trekkers with one always at the end of the group.
Our high ratio also enables us to supply individual support to participants who we feel may be struggling. We are never in a race. Progress maybe at the pace of the slowest but it will ensure that everyone is safe and accounted for at all times. We supply water to all travellers and make frequent stops.
TRANSPORT
All transport conforms to State Authority standards for tourist transport. We own and operate our own minibuses.
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is continually checked by Tham and our senior guides because we use all the accommodation all the time.
Very easy for an accommodation provider to be wonderful on the day the “foreign tour operator inspection” is scheduled. Impossible to fool everyone when the accommodation has one of our staff living in the same village. All our accommodation providers are constantly improving their product as competition, especially in more remote areas, is fierce. The accommodation to be used is listed and available to all clients before booking and changes can be made if necessary straight away as there are no middle agents involved.
FLIGHTS
We no longer arrange international flights. Groups are free to arrange their own flights and we can make recommendations in this regard
And we can also recommend a UK ATOL holder to arrange flights who has been known to us and with whom we have worked for many years.
Internal flights necessary for the execution of an itinerary will be arranged by us and form part of the programme costing.
PAYMENTS
We accept payment in Malaysian Ringgit direct to our Standard Chartered account in Kota Kinabalu. Details are sent with your final itinerary confirmation along with the payment’s due date.
Payment can also be made in Malaysian Ringgit’s in cash on arrival.
We do not accept any debit or credit cards.
INSURANCE
We recommend that all of our clients carry their own personal travel insurance.
PRE-TOUR / VENTURE FOR EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS
Once we have received an enquiry we will send an outline itinerary to the client for comment. This two-way dialogue continues until the client is happy that the programme reflects their aspirations and, in the case of educational establishments, their learning outcomes. We will then supply a costing with inclusions and exclusions clearly shown.
Even at this stage we can make adjustments in terms of accommodation for example to reflect the financial target of the client. Again we are able to offer complete flexibility as we are the provider. We are not buying in a ready, off the shelf, one-size-fits-all, programme. We are able to assist with educational material if required and hold a pre-tour meeting with students and parents where all aspects of the programme can be discussed.
For clarification or any questions on any of the above please contact us.
UK office : WhatsApp and Telephone 0044 7866 491 496
Kota Kinabalu office : 0060 88 232821 or 0060 88 238702