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Tipping Etiquette When Traveling
Posted By Jay On September 28, 2009 @ 10:02 am In Tips and Tricks,Travel Advice | No Comments
To be quite honest, I have been confused on a number of occasions about when and how much gratuity (tip) to a provide when traveling out of the country. I learned pretty quickly that tipping is not necessary in some countries and in others, it is seen as a form of insult. The purpose of this article is to help shed some light on the subject so that you can avoid awkward situations in your travels.
Note: This article is about tipping outside of the United States. Everyone in the US should know that tipping service professionals is customary. Service professionals in the US get paid a very small hourly wage (sometimes as little as $2 an hour) and make a majority of their income from tips. Tips should be in the range of 10% to 20% depending on the level of service. Again, this article isn’t about whether you should tip in the US or Canada – you should – Don’t be a Jerk!!! Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way…..
International Gratuity
It can be confusing knowing how much to tip, when and to whom when overseas. This is because the economic structures and customs for service professionals in other countries are different than in the Western World. As I mentioned above, US service professionals make a majority of their income from tips – while in many Asian countries – service professional are “Professionals”, e.g., their entire living wage is salaried and they generally do not accept tips. In many European countries, tipping is accepted – but only the change that’s left from the bill. Again, this is because either a surcharge (form of tip) has already been applied to the bill or the service professionals in these countries do not make a significant portion of their income from tips (many are salaried).
Where is Tipping Acceptable?
The information below was taken directly from this FlyerTalk forums article on the subject. Since I haven’t traveled to every corner of the earth, this is a more complete resource than my own experiences.
By Region
…Continued
By Country
Country | Restaurant Staff | Baggage Handlers | Taxi Drivers |
Argentina | 10% | $1 | Round up taxi fare or small tip |
Australia | 10% in fine restaurants only | $2 per bag | Round up |
Austria | 5% plus service charge | $1 to $2 per bag | Round up |
Bahamas | 10% | $1 per bag | 10% – 15% |
Belgium | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Brazil | 10% to 15% | $1 per bag | 10% |
Brunei | None | None | None |
Canada | 10%-20% | $1 to $2 per bag | 10% |
Cayman Islands | 15% if no service charge | $1 per bag | 10% |
Chile | 10% in addition to service charge | $1 per bag | None |
China | 3% in major cities, none elsewhere | $1 to $2 | None |
Colombia | 10% | 75 cents per bag | None |
Costa Rica | None | $1 per bag | 10% |
Czech Republic | 5% to 10% | $1 per bag | Round up |
Denmark | None | $1 per bag | Round up |
Ecuador | 10% if no service charge | 75 cents per bag | None |
Egypt | 5% to 10% plus service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Estonia | 10-15% for restaurants | ? | ? |
Fiji | None | None | Round up |
Finland | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
France | 5% to 10% | $1 per bag | Round up |
Germany | 5% to 10% or round up plus euro or two | $1 per bag | Round up |
Greece | 5% to 10% plus service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Hong Kong | 10% plus service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Hungary | 10% if no service charge | None | Round up |
India | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Indonesia | 10% | 50 cents | Round up |
Ireland | 10% to 15% | $1 per bag | Round up |
Israel | 12% to 15% if no service charge | $1 per bag | 12% to 15% |
Italy | 10% plus service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Japan | None | None | None |
Malaysia | None | None | None |
Mexico | 10% to 15% | $1 | 50 cents |
Morocco | Leave loose change | 50 cents per bag | Round up |
Netherlands | 5% to 10% | $1 per bag | Round up |
New Zealand | None | None | None |
Norway | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Oman | None | None | None |
Peru | Up to 10% for special service | 75cents per bag | None |
Philippines | 10% | 50 cents to $1 per bag | Round up |
Poland | 10% | $1 per bag | Round up |
Portugal | 10% to 15% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Romania | Round up bill | $1 per bag | Round up |
Russia | 10% to 15% | $1 per bag | Round up |
Samoa | None | None | None |
Saudi Arabia | 10% to 15% | $1 to $2 per bag | 10% |
Singapore | None | None | None |
South Africa | 10% if no service charge | 50 cents | 10% |
South Korea | None | None | None |
Spain | 7% to 10% plus service charges | $1 per bag | 10% |
Sweden | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | Round up |
Switzerland | Round up | $1 per bag | Round up |
Taiwan | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | None |
Tanzania | 10% | None | None |
Thailand | None | None | |
Turkey | Round up | $1 per bag | Round up |
United Arab Emirates | None | None | None |
United Kingdom | 10% if no service charge | $1 per bag | 10 -15% or round up to nearest pound |
USA | 15% to 20% | $1 to $2 per bag | 10% to 15% |
Venezula | 10% | 75 cents per bag | 10% |
Vietnam | None | None | None |
…Continued
Who Should I Tip
I’ve included a list of travel related service professionals you should consider tipping – assuming it is appropriate in the location(s) you are traveling. The list is not all-inclusive and is only travel related (your Barber should get a tip but you generally don’t see him when you travel).
Should Tip
Don’t Tip
The American Factor
With the ease and relative affordability of travel, many more Americans are traveling across the globe – whether it is for vacation or business. This means more and more locales are exposed to American culture and customs. Unfortunately, one of the byproducts of this is many locations take on Western style customs when dealing with tourists – particularly when it comes to tipping. For example, in Japan – tipping is not the norm throughout the countryside; however, if you are eating dinner at the Tokyo Hilton (an American hotel chain) – expect to see a service charge or a ‘friendly’ reminder that tipping is appreciated. In short, if you will be traveling to destinations or properties that cater to Western & European travelers – follow the Western custom and add 10% – 20% gratuity.
Summary
These few highlights should help you avoid some awkward situations:
Happy Travels!!
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