tip tour guide and driver

How Much Should You Tip on a Guided Tour? All Your Gratuity Questions Answered

Everything you need to know about tipping on a guided tour..

The Scoop: What to Know About Trafalgar Tours

When you book a guided tour , it may seem like you’re covering most of your vacation costs before you even depart. Most tours include accommodations, trip leaders, local guides, transportation during the trip, admission fees, and many meals all in the upfront cost. But the addd cost of tour leader tips and other customary gratuities can sneak up on you unless you’ve factored them in at the beginning.

Inspired by my own frustration about the vague information available about how much to tip on guided tours, I’ve compared tipping guidelines and recommendations from a dozen different tour companies to create this tipping guide for tours. You can use it to get a sense of tour operator tipping norms and then plan accordingly.

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Which Gratuities Are Covered in Most Tours?

Many tour companies build tips for support staff into the tour price. That could include hotel staff, waiters, and sometimes (but not always) bus drivers. If your guided tour has a dedicated motor coach driver for the entire trip, for example, you may be expected to tip the driver in addition to your guides.

And almost none of the tour operators I spoke with include the priciest of all tips—tour leader gratuities—into the cost of a tour. The exception is Road Scholar , which includes group leader gratuities in the up-front tour cost. 

Which Gratuities Are Not Covered in Most Tours?

Beyond the above-mentioned exceptions, most tour companies do not include tips for guides and hotel housekeeping. Often, these people rely on tips as a vital part of their income, so it’s important to set your own budget accordingly to make sure you’re tipping at an appropriate level for their service.

• Tour Leader/Director: I’ll go into more detail below about tipping tour leaders, but in terms of the biggest gratuity expense to budget for on a tour, this is it, since the customary amount may well be in the hundreds of dollars.
• Local Tour Guides: Some tour companies will include local tour guides into the gratuities covered in the cost of the tour, while others say you should tip local tour guides individually. If you’re expected to tip local guides on your own, the daily amount usually falls somewhere in the $2 to $10 range. Local tour guides tend to be used for day tours, so you’ll want to tip them at the end of the day, as you may not see them again.
• Hotel Housekeeping: In-room tips for the cleaning staff aren’t generally paid by tour companies. TourScoop’s sister site FamilyVacationist has an explainer about hotel housekeeping tipping etiquette , but generally speaking the customary range is $3 to $10 per day depending on the hotel class. 
• Independent Meals: Learn tipping customs for your destinations before you go, since you’ll likely have some meals on your own and will want to be able to tip or not tip as the culture dictates. 

Why You Should Always Tip Your Tour Leaders

Ask a tour company why you should tip your tour leader and you’ll likely get some version of, “Well, it’s the customary way to thank them for all their hard work” or “It’s how you show appreciation and gratitude.” 

Intrepid Travel goes a bit deeper on its explanation, noting that “tipping is still a big part of leaders’ overall income” and that tipping locals for their guiding services is actually a powerful way to inject cash into the local economy. Since tip money doesn’t pass through a third party, the money “either go[es] straight to the leader, or get[s] divided up among your porters and local guides.”

A great tour leader turns a good experience into a great one, and it’s natural to want to make sure they feel appreciated, even if you have some resistance to the structures that require guests to heavily subsidize these hard-working wonders.

How Much to Tip Your Tour Leaders

The less helpful but most accurate answer to the question of how much to tip your tour leader is that information about tipping is generally found in the final documents you receive before your trip, so be sure to read those pages carefully when you get them (usually somewhere between a month and two weeks before the start of a tour). To give you a ballpark estimate, though, the daily per person tip for a tour leader tip should be somewhere in the range of $7 to $12, with $10 per person per day being the most widely recommended amount. 

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That amount can add up quickly, especially if you have more than one tour leader and/or are traveling with a family group . For instance, Adventures by Disney (which is refreshingly up-front about its tipping recommendations) pencils out gratuities for a 10-day tour with a family of four at $720 to $880, since its family travel adventures always include two tour leaders. That can be sticker-shock territory, which is why I suspect so many tour companies are so cagey about how much to tip tour leaders. 

How and When to Tip on a Guided Tour

Some companies—including Trafalgar , Globus , and Collette —may give you the option to pre-pay tour leader tips with your credit card at the time of booking. On the one hand, that’s great, since it means you don’t need to carry around cash to give at the very end of the trip. On the other hand, it pokes holes in the industry-wide story that the tip is tied to the service you’ve received.

Most tour companies still recommend tipping your tour leader at the end of the tour. Plan to tip in either the local currency or U.S. dollars if it’s a widely accepted currency in the destination country. Some tour leaders also accept Venmo or PayPal.

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A Guide to Tipping for Travelers

Andersen Ross Photography Inc / Getty Images

Tipping correctly can save you time, embarrassment, and money. While traveling, many people will offer their services to help make life easier, but it can sometimes be hard to tell who's just doing their job and who expects a tip.

Tipping is payment for a service rendered, but tipping can also be an act of gratitude for someone who goes beyond the call of duty, like a concierge securing front-row seats to the hottest show in town. Choosing not to tip will send a clear message that you have been dissatisfied with the service you've received.

These tipping guidelines are for the United States only. Expectations (and tipping amounts) can vary quite a bit from country to country. Check the travel guide for the particular country you will be visiting for the proper tipping etiquette.

Hotels and Resorts

Occasionally, you might stay at a hotel or resort with a no-tipping policy. In this case, you might find that you are already paying for service by way of a resort fee or service charge added your final bill.

• When valeting your car, tip $1 to $2 to the attendant when he retrieves your car. You can also tip when dropping your car off, but this is optional.
• You don't need to tip the doorman when he opens the door for you, but if he hails you a cab, you should tip $1 to $2.
• Tip bellhops and luggage porters $1 to $2 for every bag they bring up to your room. At a luxury hotel, you might tip more, as much as $5 per bag.
• For housekeeping, leave a daily tip of $1 to $5 per day, depending on the type of hotel and the size of the mess you've made.
• If you order room service, you'll find most hotels already include a service charge on the bill. If there's no service charge, tip 15 percent.
• The hotel concierge exists to help guests, so it's not necessary to tip if they give you directions or make a restaurant recommendation. However, if the service has been especially valuable, such as getting reservations to a restaurant that claims to be totally booked, tipping $5 to $20 is reasonable.
• Be sure to check out our guide for tipping in Las Vegas as well.

In general, more and more cruise lines are moving away from traditional tipping and adding service charges, which will be split evenly among the crew. It varies from line to line, so make sure to ask about their tipping policy before you book your next cruise.

• If the cruise line automatically adds the service charge to your account, you may be able to adjust it lower or higher as you deem necessary. The recommended amount is $10 to $20 per passenger for every day of your cruise.
• Baggage handlers work for the port and not the cruise ship, so you should tip $1 to $2 per bag or $4 to $5 per party.
• Like at a hotel, you can leave $1 to $5 per day for housekeeping in your cabin.
• You will most likely have different servers every day, but if there is someone that stands out (like a bartender who remembers your drink order), feel free to hand them a small token of appreciation.
• Upon any delivery to your cabin, like room service or a special request, you should tip $1 to $3 per visit depending on how much you order.
• Tipping the head waiter isn't necessary, but you can give $5 to $10 if they accommodate a special request or go above and beyond.
• Onshore excursions, you should tip your guides based on the level of personalization from $2 to $10.
• For children's club counselors, tipping is not necessary.
• It's the ship captain's job to command the ship and, occasionally, socialize with guests. Tipping is not necessary and would most likely be refused.

Restaurants and Bars

Whether you're enjoying a night out on the town or just popping down to the hotel lounge for a nightcap, standard tipping practices still apply when you're traveling.

• Tip your server 15 percent to 20 percent of the bill based on the pre-tax total of the bill or more if you enjoyed the service. If a service charge has already been included, feel free to leave without tipping.
• Bartenders should be tipped $1 per drink served, even if they're just pouring beer or wine.
• Tip the sommelier 10 percent of your wine costs, even if it's a less expensive vintage.
• If there is a bathroom attendant, who doesn't just hand out towels but also keeps the bathroom clean, drop a few coins in the tip jar or tip $1 per visit.
• When collecting your things at the coat check, tip $1 per item checked.

Transportation

Depending on how you choose to get around when you travel, you might be expected to tip.

• It's customary to tip cab drivers 15 percent to 20 percent of the fare.
• If you use a rideshare app like Uber or Lyft, you're not obligated to tip the driver, but it's considerate to give $1 to $2 for a short trip or more for a long-haul ride.
• If you arrange an airport shuttle transfer, tip $1 for every bag handled.
• Tip limousine drivers 15 percent to 20 percent, unless a service charge is included.

How much you tip a tour guide varies depending on the tour's length, size, and overall quality. In most countries, tipping your guide at the end of a tour is standard practice and will be rarely turned down.

• For a tour that only lasts a few hours, tip your guide 10 percent to 20 percent the cost of the tour. How much you tip also depends on the size of your tour, so you should tip more for a more personalized experience.
• For a multi-day tour, you should tip your guide $5 to $10 per day on the last day.
• If there was a driver in addition to a guide, tip them $1 to $5 per day.
• For free tours, which are offered in many large cities , you should tip between $5 to $10, depending on the quality of the tour.

Spas and Salons

If you purchase an individualized service at a spa or salon, you'll be expected to leave a tip. Some spas might already include a service charge, so make sure to ask about this at the front desk when you go to pay.

• For a spa treatment like a massage or a facial, tip 15 percent to 20 percent if no service fee has been included. If you're getting the treatment at a discount, your tip should be based on the original price.
• There's no need to tip if you're visiting a spa with common facilities like saunas or hot springs without purchasing an extra treatment.
• Medical spas might have more complicated treatments, like botox injections. Usually, tipping is not allowed for these kinds of services.
• Hairstylists and manicurists should be tipped at 15 percent to 20 percent.
• If someone else washes your hair, you can give them a $1 to $5.

Golf Courses

If you decide to go for a round of golf on vacation, you might run into these tipping scenarios.

• On a golf course, the bag boy takes your clubs when you arrive and sets them up in a golf cart for you. He will also wipe them down before you leave, so tip $1 to $2 on arrival and $2 to $5 as you leave.
• If you arrive without a tee time and the starter fits you in, you can tip them $1 to $5.
• Caddies should be tipped 50 percent of the caddie fee, adjusted higher or lower for your satisfaction with their service.
• A forecaddie works for a group of golfers and should be tipped $20 to $25 per player.

A Guide to Tipping in New York City

A Guide to Tipping Hotel Employees

A Guide to Tipping in Germany

A Guide to Tipping in Portugal

A Guide to Tipping in India

How Much You Should Tip in Amsterdam

A Guide to Tipping in Chicago

A Guide to Tipping in Mexico

A Guide to Tipping in France

A Guide to Tipping in the United Kingdom

A Guide to Tipping in Ireland

A Guide to Tipping in Nepal

A Guide to Tipping in Peru

A Guide to Tipping in Asia

Guide to Tipping in Las Vegas

A Guide to Tipping in Canada

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We're presently on the first of three consecutive tours run by Cosmos / Globus. They are requesting tips of 4 to 6 Euros/Pounds per day for the tour director and half that for the driver. As the three tours total some 50 days, that would equate to about 750 Euros or Pounds. When we booked we were of the understanding that all tipping & gratuities were included. In Australia we only tip for great service as a thank you and to encourage great service. We really can't afford to pay out another €750 after what we paid for the tours originally.

What do others, particularly Aussies,think?

Thanks everyone :)

I've come across this before on a couple of occasions. Made me furious to be told I had to do it and how much. I have to say that I've seldom seen anyone pay the 'suggested amount' per day. It's always in their interests to ask.

Check your contract if you can and see if it states that tips are included. However I can't see how they can make you pay. That is a huge sum, is anyone else in the same position on the trip? Can you discuss with them? Another option if you have that sort of phone contract it to ring or email the company you booked with and say that for 3 tours you can't be expected to pay that much and hadn't expected it.

If not then you need to speak to whoever is suggesting this and explain. Perhaps work out what you are prepared to pay in your own mind and just say that you will tip but can't afford that sort of sum. Let's face it, they aren't going to follow you home and demand it ;-)

It happened to me on a Nile River Cruise where a standard amount was collected so the 'whole crew' could get a share. Laudable in a way but it wasn't in any documents and left me short. When I mentioned it to the company I went with they said there was no such thing and refused to acknowledge it.

Again on a tour of Borneo someone decided they would collect a large amount. Speaking to others they agreed we gave what we felt was right, it was a lot smaller,

Ditto on a boat in the Indian Ocean with £25 per week but it was a sealed envelope and I gave what I could and tipped those that had made my trip special.

I'm happy to give to someone who's given me a great experience as you say. I know it's a thing to tip the driver and guide and sometimes there's a suggested amount per day which mounts up to paying their wages I sometimes think.

<<<When we booked we were of the understanding that all tipping & gratuities were included. >>>

This is something that is worth well confirming any time you book a tour as tipping expectations vary greatly around the world. Usually there is something stated specifically in the tour or programme notes indicating if and what tips are usual and expected. If not, I'd ask very clearly and seek written explanation (at least through email) of what is guests are expected to do when it comes to tips and gratuities.

Based on you mentioning euro and pound sterling, then rest assured that it's not going to be illegal to not tip in any of the countries you'll be visiting. Tip whatever you want to tip, if anything at all, and ignore these suggestions!

This has been beaten to death in the Senior Travel forum. Personally, I would tip nothing in Europe. These 'recommendations' are made for the US market.

https://tinyurl.com/lldfeqh

I'm not Australian but I know what I'd tell them....and it's not repeatable here!

I dislike intensly this notion of expected tipping, it is not the norm in Europe, especially for someone just doing their job.

Not all of us frequent the Senior Travel forum, wigwam, though I probably should as I'm now of an age!

I have seen it suggested in the blurb for some tours in Europe. Usually it's coach tours and high street suppliers.

If you mention it the reply seems to be 'they don't get paid well' - there are so many answers to that I won't start.

I worked out what some were getting in tips once and looked into how to become a travel guide (seriously) because that is some serious money if they get it from whole groups of people.

Nobody tipped me for the many mirriad of jobs I've done,

Hi RojBlake, I wouldn't say I frequent the Senior Travel forum. I was browsing the Humtab forum to see how members felt about the restructure and I came across the Senior forum. I was intrigued by the number of conflicting posts on the Tipping driver and guide thread, so did recall it when I read this thread. I couldn't imagine being on a coach with such a group of unlikeminded people so I commented on being glad I didn't do tours and haven't been back since, although I am also of that age.

In many European cities the Tour Manager who is escorting you from A to B are not aloud to do any guiding in those cities. They have to pick up a local official guide who should be very knowledgable. So, the Tour Manager is basically somebody who shuttles you from one place to another.

Sometimes they can be very good and impart a lot of information, but sometimes they are just winging it as they have never escorted that particular tour before.

This huge tipping idea is directed at Americans who have spoilt it for other nationalities taking excursions and holidays outside their own countries.

Official guides are extremely well paid. Tour escorts can earn good money too by selling extra excursions.

If you feel you have had good service then I would leave €20 for the Tour Manager and €10 for the driver based on a 7 day tour. However, I wouldn't feel guilty in leaving nothing, either.

Interesting Hermanaeriza, that explains a lot. Your suggestion sounds reasonable.

I don't mind tipping for outstanding or extra service or experience but I've seen/experienced some downright shonkey and money for old rope practises too.

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How Much Should I Tip My Guide? We Asked Guides How Much to Give.

Tipping is part of life, but it often feels confusing and stressful. Whether you’re on a river trip, a safari, or taking a ski lesson, we asked all the hard questions to provide these guidelines on how much to give—and how to do it right.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

I was on a backcountry hut trip in British Columbia last winter, and at the end of an incredible, powder-filled week, my group of friends and I realized what most of us had forgotten: cash. Specifically, enough money to tip our two hard-working ski guides, as well as the cook, who’d been making us delicious meals morning and night, and the hut caretaker, who’d been pre-heating the sauna and shoveling the path to the outhouse.

It was a major oversight on our part. In the end, we cobbled together what cash we had and the rest of us chipped in via PayPal, a clunky fix.

In America, we know that when we go into a restaurant, it’s expected that, assuming the service is decent, you will leave your waiter a 15 to 20 percent tip on the bill. But when you go on, say, a guided backcountry ski trip or a whitewater rafting trip with a commercial outfitter or an afternoon of guided fly-fishing, the assumptions of gratuity are less clear. Are you always supposed to tip in those cases, and if so, how much?

“Guiding is very similar to the restaurant industry. It’s a service industry,” says Shane Robinson, a Seattle-based mountain guide and the founder of Graybird Guiding . He also guides for the company Alpine Ascents International . “Unfortunately, guides are probably not paid as well as they should be. So, most guides rely on those tips to make ends meet.”

Tips for outdoor guides and instructors vary wildly—some people tip a lot, some less, others don’t tip at all—and every destination is different. If you’re traveling internationally, many countries don’t have a tipping culture like the U.S.

“Tipping these days is much more common, but it’s not across the board,” says Dave Hahn, a long-time guide for RMI Expeditions who has guided on peaks like Mount Rainier and Mount Everest. “I think of a tip as a reward for a meaningful time or for someone putting themselves out there for you, not as an expectation.”

Given that guides are often the one who makes your trip or instruction stand out above the rest, we recommend always being prepared to tip. But sorting out how much to give and when to give it after a shared adventure can be awkward, confusing, and feel so hush hush, like no one’s talking openly about it.

Well, we are. We asked all the hard and awkward questions to provide these dos-and-don’ts guidelines on how to tip like a pro.

1. Do the Math

Typically, the gratuity rate for guides should be around 10 to 20 percent of the total trip cost. That means if you’re paying $500 for a day or two of guided rock climbing, an appropriate tip for your guide would be between $50 and $100.

2. Do Tip Even On Pricey Trips

Maybe you’ve just thrown down $5,000 for a Grand Canyon river trip. That’s a huge chunk of cash for a guided trip. Do you really have to tip on top of that? The answer is yes. “I sometimes find that when the cost of the trip is higher, people tend to tip less,” says Canadian guide Holly Walker, an ACMG-certified hiking and ski guide and owner of Fall Line Guides .

What helps me is to go ahead and factor in a 10 to 20 percent tip based on the total price of the trip into my initial budget to reduce the shock factor. So for that $5,000 trip, I’d tip $500 to $1,000 to be split up amongst the guides.

3. Do Prepare Ahead

Being a good tipper means planning in advance. You don’t want to get caught at the end of your trip without any cash. (Like, um, me.) Sandy Cunningham, CEO and co-founder of the adventure travel company Uncharted , advises her clients to pack a dozen or so envelopes, each filled with predetermined amounts of money and labeled for their recipient: driver, guide, cook, cleaning staff, etc. “You have your travel pouch with all the important things: passports, vaccination cards, envelopes with tip money,” Cunningham says. “That way you’re ready.”

4. Do Tip at the End of Your Trip

Some guiding services will offer a tip for the guide to be added onto your credit card purchase when you book the trip. But tipping is a token of gratitude that should be delivered at the end of your trip, based on a job well done. Typically, there’s a parting moment, when you and your guide are saying your goodbyes. That’s the best time to pass over the envelope and say thank you for the experience.

“At the end of your time, you pull the envelope out and give it to the person directly,” says Cunningham. “I will often bring my own thank you cards and write a personal note, too.”

5. Do Bring Cash

“I joke that I’ll take whatever form you’re paying in. We’re grateful for however it comes,” Shane Robinson says. But cash is king. If you can’t get cash or don’t want to travel with a wad of bills, American guides are accustomed to receiving online tips via Venmo these days. Just make sure you get their Venmo handle so you pay the right person. “It’s sometimes easier to divide up an electronic tip amongst a guide staff,” adds Hahn.

Venmo is currently only supported in the U.S., so if your guide is Canadian or from any other country, cash is the best form of payment. If you book your guide through a site like 57Hours , the app has tipping built in, and that’s a fine way to tip your guide. If you’re tipping porters, drivers, and local guides directly, cash is always preferred.

6. Do Give U.S. Dollars

Ask Walker, the Canadian guide, about preferred currency and she will say: “U.S. dollars are always OK.” So, feel free to get cash from an ATM at home before leaving the country if you don’t want to deal with picking up local currency when you arrive. “Unless it’s stipulated otherwise, people love U.S. Dollars, especially if their currency is weak,” adds Sandy Cunningham.

7. Don’t Forget About Instructional Settings

Guiding can come in many forms—including lessons from a wide range of instructors. Say your kid takes a private lesson from an instructor at a ski resort in the U.S. or you sign up for a mountain bike clinic or a running retreat. A tip is always appreciated. Again, 10 to 20 percent of the lesson price would be about right. Many guides also teach avalanche safety classes or mountaineering courses, and though tips are far less common in those situations because they’re less service oriented, the guides say they’re very grateful when people think to tip afterward. “As guides, the work is essentially the same,” Robinson says.

8. Do Remember the Rest of the Staff

Whether you’re at a backcountry hut, a wilderness lodge, or a safari camp, you might have a guide or two, as well as a cook, caretaker, or cleaning staff. At the end of your trip, plan on tipping out everybody in a service position. First, tip your guide 10 to 20 percent of the total cost. If you have multiple guides, you can tip the lead guide and they can split that up amongst the other guides. Then leave a separate tip—look for a designated tip box, or ask your guide where to leave it—to be distributed amongst the rest of the staff.

“If you’re heli-skiing, you’ve got pilots, waiters, housekeeping, bartenders, tail guides. If you’re on Kilimanjaro, you’ve got porters, people building tents, local guides,” Hahn says. “Those are times when you probably want to touch base with your guide. You can say, ‘How do I take care of the support staff?’ I don’t want to be bashful about those conversations. I consider that part of my job as your guide to make sure that local staff gets tipped properly. They’re much more dependent on those tips than I am.”

9. Do Collect Your Tips if You’re in a Group

If you’re traveling with family or a group of friends, it’s best to collect your cash into one joint gratuity. You can agree on a set amount per person or each contribute what you’re able. That way, the guide isn’t receiving stealthy handshakes with cash from a dozen different people from the same group. “Having the group collect the tip is definitely preferred and nicer for everyone,” says Walker. “Everyone can still say their goodbyes, but it’s less transactions that way.”

10. Don’t Tip in Beer

Any sign of gratitude—be it a hand-written card or a gift certificate or a nice bottle of whiskey—will be appreciated. But again, cash rules. “Buying your guide a meal or beer at the end of the trip—everyone will appreciate that. That’s nice in addition to your tip,” Hahn says. “My point is anything is nice. If someone had a really good trip and credits you with it and expresses that, they don’t always have to say that in money.”

11. Do Tip Even If You Didn’t Summit

So, you paid for a guided trip and for one reason or another, things didn’t go as planned. Like all adventures in the outdoors, final outcomes can be unpredictable. “Nobody should have to pay for service that was subpar,” Cunningham says. If your guide really let you down, factor that into your tip.

But if you didn’t make it to the summit, that doesn’t mean your guide didn’t work hard. “Sometimes good guiding means saying no,” Hahn says. “There’s this perception that you didn’t get us to the top of the mountain, so perhaps you didn’t work as hard as you might have. But obviously, on those days where it’s avalanche conditions or storms or something happened where you had the good sense to not get anyone hurt, that’s still hard work.”

12. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions

Gratuity in general has so many nuances, especially so in the outdoor world. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. “Before you go, check with the operation that you’re booking through if you have any questions about tipping,” Hahn says. Outfitters these days will often provide an exact number or a range of what to consider tipping.

But maybe don’t ask your guide out right what you should pay them as a tip: That exact number is still up to you. “I guided a family for a week and as we were saying our goodbyes, they said, ‘If you were us, how much would you tip you?’” Walker recalls. “It felt very awkward to ask me that directly. I told them, ‘I would tip a percentage that I thought was appropriate.’”

The bottom line is, be prepared to tip. Guiding is hard and often low-pay work, and gratuities are always appreciated.

Outside Correspondent Megan Michelson is an avid traveler who has used many guides on her adventures around the world.

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How Much To Tip a Tour Guide in the U.S. and Europe

Let’s face it. Tipping can be a delicate topic, and how much to tip a tour guide can seem especially ambiguous. What’s the right amount? When do you tip? Is gratuity ever included? Do you tip for kids, too? What if you had a bad experience? Does the amount you need to tip change based on how long the tour is?

Those are all valid questions. We’ve worked with hundreds of local tour guides to offer tours in over a dozen cities across the U.S. and Europe. With that experience, we have some tipping know-how for tours in top tourist destinations like Paris, New York, and Rome. This isn’t meant as a rule book. Tipping is always at the guest’s discretion, but whether you tour with us or someone else, we want to demystify tour guide gratuities for everyone.

Below, we’ll answer the most frequently asked questions about tipping tour guides (plus a few you hadn’t thought to ask). But first, let’s define what gratuities are.

Gratuities and tour guides: an introduction

A gratuity is an amount of money given voluntarily to certain service workers as a thank you for excellent service. 

It’s considerably less than the full cost of the service, often a percentage or a flat amount, and it really is a way to show appreciation. Gratuity comes from the Latin word gratus , meaning thankful, the same word that gives us “gratitude.” And you thought we wouldn’t be covering etymology in this blog post.

Gratuities are most common in the restaurant and hospitality industry. You often tip cab drivers, bartenders, hair stylists, bellhops, and valets but not other service professionals like your accountant or plumber. Tour guides — those fearless leaders who show us new places and take us on exciting travel experiences — are in the group of hospitality workers who frequently are tipped for good service.

Should I tip my tour guide?

Basic tipping etiquette says, yes, you should tip your tour guide. There are exceptions if your specific tour experience includes gratuities or you simply didn’t have a good time, but in general, tipping your guide at the end of the tour is customary in the U.S. and Europe, though it’s much more common in the States.

Is tipping on vacation different in the U.S. vs. Europe?

Tipping is much more prevalent in the United States than it is in Europe. In America, a traveler will tip for all kinds of hospitality services, from wait staff to the person who carries your bags to your room.

People don’t tip as much in Europe, so travelers don’t there as much either. For example, servers at restaurants are paid a normal wage and don’t rely on tips for part of their income.

When it comes to tipping tour guides, a tip isn’t required in either region, but it’s much more expected in U.S. culture. Tips, when given, aren’t typically as high in Europe. Tipping a few euros after an excellent walking tour of 1-2 hours is considered sufficient. For a longer tour or a tour with a higher price point because it includes tickets, you might tip more, around 5%-10% of the total tour cost for each person in your group.

Because of globalization, especially with many American tourists in Western European countries like France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, you don’t have to worry about gratuity being awkward or unwelcome. Most tour guides are familiar with the custom of tipping and will anticipate (and appreciate) this from their guests. But even more so than in the U.S., tipping is a sign of excellent service, so if you feel your guide did a fabulous job, a tip is a good way to show that.

How much should I tip my tour guide?

This is the harder question, but it’s probably why you’re here. So you had a good time. Your tour guide shared some local recommendations, made you smile, and overall added to your experience. How much is the right amount to tip?

It’s up to each guest — and at the end of the day, it’s optional — but here are some rules of thumb from our guides and tour operators on the ground.

• For a short guided tour in the U.S.: Tip $5-$10 (or more) per person if your tour is around two hours or less. This would be an appropriate amount for most walking tours, like our JFK Assassination Tour , as well as some attraction tours, like our express Statue of Liberty visit. For a slightly longer tour, like our Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island tour , you might increase the gratuity some.
• For a full-day guided tour in the U.S.: Tip $10-$20 per person if it’s a longer guided tour (think six hours or more). A family of four might tip $40 for our guided six-hour Getty Center and Griffith Observatory Tour .
• For a short guided tour in Europe: Tip €5-€10 per person for a neighborhood walking tour that’s under two hours. This would be a good fit for our 90-minute Le Marais Walking Tour in Paris. For something longer, you might add a few more euros.
• For a full-day guided tour in Europe: Tip €10-€20 per person — or about 5%-10% of the total tour price — for a full-day guided tour. If it’s a bus tour, like our Normandy beach tour from Paris , it’s customary to include a tip for the bus driver as well.

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Guided Tour

Those ranges above are averages, and tipping may end up being more or less, but they’re practical guideposts that any tour guide would feel good about receiving.

When do you tip your guide?

This one is easy. You tip most commonly at the end of the tour. As you’re saying your goodbyes to the guide, you can simply hand off the money. 

“A tip shows that I did an outstanding job, that I exceeded guests’ expectations, especially here in Europe where it’s less common that in the U.S.” Cristina Carrisi, Barcelona tour guide

We’ve seen many people like to do it in a “secret handshake” sort of way, slipping them the money as they shake hands. This works, but a simple hand-off is fine, too.

What if I don’t have cash?

More and more today, people don’t carry cash when they travel. Guides are aware of this, and most have other ways to accept payment, such as Venmo or Zelle. Some guides even have a QR code guests can scan. 

If you’re not sure, it’s perfectly acceptable to ask what kind of electronic payment methods they accept for gratuities. You’ll find most guides have a way to tip without cash. For example, most of our guides in the U.S. have Venmo accounts. In Europe, cash is king, so bring money if you plan to tip.

Do you tip the driver for a bus tour?

This varies by tour. It’s common for bus drivers to have a jar or box near the front where guests can drop a few bills on their way out.

For our U.S.-based bus tours at ExperienceFirst, tipping $5-$10 per guest is appropriate to cover both the guide and the driver. The guides split their tips with the driver, so giving your tip directly to the guide works best. In Europe, tipping the bus driver is customary. Around 5%-10% of the tour price is a good rule of thumb.

This rate matches about how much you’d tip for a traditional 90-minute walking tour. Even though bus tours are much longer, buses tend to be fuller than a walking tour, so this smaller tip amount is adequate. As always, tipping more is appreciated, and it’s a great way to tell your guide they did an outstanding job.

Ancient Rome Walking Tour

How much do you tip a private tour guide?

Everything works pretty much the same for a private tour. On private tours, people are sometimes less likely to tip, but unless gratuity has been included in the tour cost, it’s a nice gesture to thank your guide for their time, especially if they went above and beyond to make it a special experience for your group.

When people do tip for private tours, they typically tip more since gratuity is usually a percentage of the total service cost, and prices are higher for private tours. Private tours are also often longer and frequently involve private transportation. For a longer private driving tour, for example, such as a private Los Angeles tour , $50-$100 in tips is common, but for a larger group of, say, eight people, that’s only around $10 per person.

Do you tip for free tours?

What about those “free” walking tours? Are they really free? In short, no. Locals who offer free walking tours expect gratuities nearly always, so you should factor this into your costs when you plan.

There are a few exceptions. Sometimes a tour will say “no tips accepted” or something similar. Perhaps it’s being put on by the local convention and visitors bureau or other tourism organization. In this case, take them at their word. The walking tour really is free. Here’s one such example of a genuinely free walking tour in Bath, England.

Is gratuity included with your tour ticket?

Generally, gratuity isn’t included in the tour price because it’s optional. A few tour operators may include gratuities, particularly for multi-day excursions that also include room and board, but this is typically listed under inclusions. If you’re unsure, feel free to ask before or after booking. 

Good tour operators will make it clear if gratuities are included or not. After all, the last thing we want is for people to be surprised or feel unprepared.

Fisherman’s Wharf Walking Tour With Alcatraz Ticket

Do you tip if you didn’t like the tour?

If you didn’t enjoy the tour, it’s acceptable not to tip. A gratuity really is a sign that you had a great time and want to show the guide your appreciation.

That said, not giving a tip sends the message that you didn’t enjoy the tour. You can view the tip as a way to communicate your feelings about the tour. 

Do you tip for every person in your group, including kids?

Does the tip amount change if you’re a solo traveler, a couple, or traveling with friends or kids in tow? It’s a good question. Tips are generally per person. While your guide probably isn’t expecting gratuity to cover an infant in arms, kids often require the guide’s attention as well as adults, so they’re typically factored into the tipping amount.

However, if you’re a larger family, it’s understandable to consider a sliding scale that you feel comfortable with to cover your group. A family with six kids might tip the same amount as one with five. As always with tipping, do what you feel is right for you.

What if you don’t know if tipping is appropriate?

After reading this article, hopefully you understand when and how much to tip guides. But you might be in a situation where you’re still not sure for some reason. Maybe it’s not even for a tour.

But there’s one hack you can always use — just ask. Even the famed Emily Post Institute, which provides etiquette training to businesses and individuals around the world, says it’s OK to simply ask in advance if you’re not sure about tipping protocols for the experience or country you’ll be in. Calling or emailing in advance with your questions can help settle any concerns you might have, and it’s better to know before you go, so you can come prepared and decide what you’d like to do.

What tips mean for tour guides

As we mentioned above, a tip shows appreciation. Tipping vs. not tipping lets the guide know if you did or didn’t have a good time. We asked a couple of our guides what tipping means to them. Here’s what they said.

“It is very appreciated when we receive tips,” said Jonathan Mannato, a tour guide in NYC. “For example, there was a tour I gave in pouring rain. We give tours rain or shine, but this obstacle can be hard to keep the guests happy and engaged. We work extra hard because of this. A family of four at the end generously tipped me for my work, and it made me as a guide feel valued. While we know tipping is not required, it is very helpful with our income in this role.”

Eiffel Tower Guided Climb

“A tip shows that I did an outstanding job, that I exceeded guests’ expectations, especially here in Europe where it’s less common that in the U.S.,” said Cristina Carrisi, a tour guide in Barcelona. “I remember one time as I was giving a tour, a 5 year old accidentally broke a small statue inside a shop. Her mother had stepped away to look for the rest of the family. I patiently took care of the child while still giving the tour. The tip her family gave me at the end of the tour showed me how well I had handled the situation.”

Demystifying tour guide tipping

I hope we helped demystify how, when, and how much to tip your tour guide. Not knowing the cultural norms or expectations around tipping can make guests feel nervous, which is the last thing any tour guide or operator wants. You’re on this trip to explore and have fun, not worry.

Now that you know how to tip your tour guide, tell a friend what you learned or join the conversation on Facebook if you have more questions. We’d love to hear from you.

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UponArriving

Should You Tip US Tour Guides? (Simple Formula)

Figuring out what to tip a tour guide is not always so straightforward.

But there are some ways to break down your travel experience that can help you intelligently decide on a number to tip (or not to tip).

Below is a breakdown that may help you arrive had a good tipping number for tour guides. (This will be mostly applicable in the US since tipping is not so customary in other countries.)

Table of Contents

General tour guide tipping formula

I would generally recommend to tip your tour guides between 5% to 15% depending on the range of relevant factors that I discuss below.

What is the actual cost of your tour?

Sometimes, you might be turned off by the suggested tip amount when you look at the percentage of your total tour cost.

In these cases, it can really help to break down the different components of your tour so that you can properly assess the right tipping percentage.

The idea is just to tip based on the value of work that the tour guide actually did.

For example, if you booked a bear viewing tour in Alaska that cost $1,000 but $600 of that was just covering airfare then the effective value of your tour guide’s service is $400.

It would make more sense to base your tip on $400 which might make tipping 10% to 15% much more doable for you .

Typically, you would subtract items from your total for things like: meals, entrance fees/permits, transportation, and lodging.

Once you have figured out the actual cost of your tour, then you can decide on if you want to tip based on a percentage or a flat rate.

Tour guide tipping formula

This simple formula will help you come up with appropriate tips for your tour guides.

I’ll explain how it works in detail below but essentially you assume a baseline tip of 5% and then add an additional % based on what the tour guide had to offer.

There are five factors I consider:

Safety (+2%)

Education (+2%).

• Entertainment (+2%)

Length (+2%)

• Over and beyond (+2% or more)

The idea is that you just quickly tally up what factors apply to your tour and then that gives you the percentage number to go with. You can then round up or down to make things easy.

Note that I have placed 2% by each of these factors but you can come up with a percentage that makes sense for you and your budget.

I’ll show you a quick example so you can see how this formula works out.

Let’s say I’m going on a tour in a glow worm cave in New Zealand.

The tour guide is competent and safely navigates us one hour through the cave while educating us on the local ecosystems and some of the natural scenery surrounding us.

The guide is not particularly entertaining and I don’t really get the sense that he is going above and beyond for us in any capacity.

I’m probably going to give him the baseline 5% plus extra points for safety and education. That means that I’d be looking to tip out about 10% with a tendency to round down.

The percentages can help you determine how much to tip but sometimes those percentages can add up to a pretty huge chunk if you were doing a particularly expensive tour.

For that reason, you may want to just offer a flat rate tip.

Let’s say that your total tour was $1,000.

If you apply the above formula and came out to a 15% tip, maybe $150 is a little bit too expensive of a tip for you. So in this case you simply place the ceiling on the tip at maybe $50 or $100.

If you are tipping at a flat rate I would try to keep your tip to at least at or above 5% of your actual tour cost.

Breaking down the tipping formula

Baseline (5%).

A good baseline tip for tour guides of all types is 5% of the total cost.

If the tour was very cheap then try to just tip at minimum of $2 since $1 tips don’t always go over well.

I like to add an additional 2% whenever my safety is in the hands of a tour guide. This would be the case on things like a boat tour, helicopter tour, scuba dive, etc.

If my life could be in jeopardy due to a poor performance by the operator then that means I’m adding 2% to the formula.

At the same time, if your safety is at stake and the tour guide shows a lack of regard for it, that could be a reason for completely removing a tip.

For example, you might be on a scuba dive and having equipment issues but your dive instructor does not seem to have a regard for your safety or maybe they are nowhere to be found.

If the tour guide provides a quality educational experience then I add an additional 2% to the tip formula.

This is often the case on walking tours, food tours, historic site tours, gardens, etc.

If you feel like your knowledge has been enriched after a tour that is a good sign that you should add 2% for the education bonus.

Sometimes I do a lot of research before visiting a location and I don’t necessarily learn a lot but I recognize that the guide was pouring out interesting knowledge left and right and so I will still add the bonus.

Entertaining (+2%)

Some tour guides are more charismatic than others and provide for a more entertaining experience. These tour guides create good vibes and the time can just fly when they are doing what they do.

If your tour guide has you constantly cracking up throughout the tour or just really interested in what he or she is saying, then that’s a good reason to reward them with an extra 2% and consider more for going above and beyond.

I’ll usually add on a couple of percentage points if the tour guide is offering his or her services for an extended period of time.

This is especially true if the tour guide has to be “on” at pretty much all times.

We once did an airboat tour in the Everglades and we had an excellent tour guide who took us through all sorts of different areas. The tour only lasted a couple of hours but he had to be on point during that entire time so that we didn’t crash and end up as gator soup.

That type of focus can be taxing so I like to reward it whenever I can.

Over and beyond (+?%)

When a tour guide goes over and beyond, I believe you should reward them with some additional points.

These situations arise whenever a tour guide is doing whatever they can to help you out even if that means doing things that don’t fall within their job description.

I’ll give some examples of these below to give you an idea what I’m talking about but this is usually something pretty easy to spot.

Bad experience (-?%)

Every now and again you may have a very bad experience on a tour which would justify reducing your tip or even completely avoiding giving a tip.

The biggest reasons why I would decide to NOT leave a tip for a tour guide as if:

• They were rude
• incompetent/negligent
• company made some type of misrepresentation

Rude or inconsiderate

I try to be fair when it comes to tour guides because it can be a pretty difficult job when dealing with lots of people. But some tour guides can get pretty inconsiderate when herding groups of tourists around.

Incompetent/negligent

As mentioned above, when you feel like your safety is at risk because the tour guide is incompetent, that’s a good sign that you should not tip.

In fact, you should report them to management so that you can reduce the risk of something happening to other travelers in the future.

Misrepresentations

Sometimes the tour company misrepresents what they are going to offer you.

For example, I have called ahead to book tours and asked if we would be able to access certain sites only for tour companies to exaggerate what they can do or fail to take the time to verify things. This has led to some pretty big disappointments.

In those situations, I may choose not to tip if I feel like the tour guide could fix the problem but decides not to. Otherwise, I might still leave a tip but will definitely voice a complaint with the company.

(Unfortunately, when running a travel blog you run into this type of thing way too frequently.)

Different tipping scenarios

Now let’s apply this formula to different tour scenarios.

I’ll give you some different scenarios and list out some factors that you’ll want to think about when trying to decide on how much to tip.

A walking tour

A walking tour is usually about learning about all of the history and stories of different sites in a given city or neighborhood, so you’ll be adding points for the education and then perhaps more if they provide the entertainment.

A good walking tour guide will take the time to answer any questions raised and ideally know what they are talking about when answering.

If you’re going through a rough area such as through favelas or some other type of region like that then consider adding an additional 2% for taking care of your safety.

If you are doing a free walking tour then obviously you don’t have a percentage to go on. In that case, you might want to just throw them something like $5 or just match what you see other people giving them.

Your safety is definitely at risk whenever you head into the water on a boat tour or some other type of activity like a kayak tour, canoe tour, etc.

You might also be learning about some of the wildlife or even spotting things like whales, sea turtles, dolphins, etc., so there is potential for getting that knowledge enrichment.

When it comes to wildlife, sometimes guides will go out of their way to help you get good views and photographs to make sure that you don’t miss anything. That can make a good opportunity to add that additional % for going above and beyond.

One example that comes to mind is when we were on a whale shark diving tour and I knocked my GoPro off my head and into the deep ocean. They made us wear lifejackets so with one of those on, there was no way for me to dive beneath the water to save the GoPro.

But without hesitation our guide dove off the boat and rescued the GoPro. That definitely scored him some above and beyond points!

Guides on kayak tours can be really helpful by showing you the best technique and ensuring that you get in and out of your kayak without too much trouble. It’s all about them taking that extra step to make sure you have a good experience.

For a boat tour that goes well, I’m usually looking to tip 15%.

Van drivers

If you’re getting driven around in a van, the van driver may deserve a good tip. For one, safety is a factor especially during certain types of tours like one van trip I did through narrow mountain roads in Mexico.

We once did a northern lights tour and our driver was taking us around on icy roads and in the snow so his driving skills were definitely a major factor to keeping us safe. Plus, he had to keep this up for many hours so it required a lot of focus.

Sometimes during the van ride you might get some inside information from the driver and in those cases you want to add some pints.

Also, because there are typically not many passengers in the van the driver can be attentive to your comfort needs and help out with things like regulating the temperature, volume level of the music, etc.

Bus drivers

If you’re taking a bus tour it’s less likely that you will have interactions with the driver than you would with a smaller van.

Also, because buses require more awareness than a van the bus driver may not be participating in the tour in terms of pointing things out to you.

For those type of tours you may want to only tip 5% to the driver and in other cases you may not necessarily be expected to tip the bus driver anything.

I should also point out that sometimes the van or bus driver will share tips with other guides who are able to be more engaging. If you are dealing with multiple drivers or guides on a tour then consider just applying the formula to the overall experience.

ATV/Jeep tours

If you’re headed off road especially on serious technical off-road routes, you don’t want to take the driving skills of your driver for granted. One major mistake could jeopardize your safety or leave you stranded so you want to take that into consideration.

These tours are usually pretty entertaining as well so that’s a chance for another couple of points. Tips for these usually range from 10 to 15% for me.

Helicopter tours

Helicopter tours are a prime example of when your life is in the hands of a guide/pilot — safety is obviously a big thing.

The pilots also have the ability to talk to you over the headset and provide you with really good information about all of the sites that you’ll be seeing which will likely be an overwhelming amount.

A good pilot will point out all sorts of interesting tidbits especially in places like Hawaii or Alaska where you’ll find dramatic scenery at seemingly every corner.

A nice sense of humor is also a great way to keep your nerves at ease if you are a little bit anxious up in the air.

I’ve now done several helicopter tours and some pilots have gone above and beyond while others have not.

Those that stick out are the ones who really want to cater the experience to your needs. They will be constantly asking you if you want to go higher/lower or get another look at a certain site. For those type of pilots, I definitely add on points and usually end up tipping around 15%.

Snorkel/scuba diving

A good diving instructor will keep a constant eye on all of the divers and never venture too far.

Also, if you have an issue whether it is with your equipment or you are just a mental basket case, they will do whatever they can to help you out. Talented scuba instructors can also help point out wildlife and even assist with taking photographs or video for you.

A lot of diving instructors are also a bit goofy and don’t take life too seriously which helps you to have a good time and not get overly anxious about heading into the ocean. I’m usually tipping 15% for dives.

Private tour

For private tours, I think the factors above apply but I would also add another factor which would apply to individual attention.

I wouldn’t necessarily add points for getting individual attention because that is what you are paying for with the private tour but I would certainly take away points if that doesn’t happen.

When you book a private tour you’re doing so for a specific reason.

You want to avoid the hassle of crowds and get individualized attention, possibly for your specific needs. For example, maybe there are a couple of sites along the tour where you wanted to spend a little bit of extra time.

The best way to get the most out of a private tour is to communicate all of your specific needs beforehand and get verification that the company will be able to meet those needs. The tour guide should then strive to make those things happen barring any unexpected circumstances.

On occasion, I’ve done a private tour where my prior outreach efforts did not seem to have an effect on the tour guide and that was always disappointing which led me to tipping a lot less.

I like breaking down my tips like this because it helps me to feel like I’m giving a tip based on performance which is what tips should usually be based on.

This usually results in me giving a 10% tip except for those scenarios where a tour guide really goes above and beyond. In those situations, there really is no ceiling on the tip and it sort of depends on how much money I’ve already spent on my trip!

Daniel Gillaspia is the Founder of UponArriving.com and the credit card app, WalletFlo . He is a former attorney turned travel expert covering destinations along with TSA, airline, and hotel policies. Since 2014, his content has been featured in publications such as National Geographic, Smithsonian Magazine, and CNBC. Read my bio .

I like your formula approach, and how you explain each tier. Helpful stuff, thanks.

Thanks for the useful guide. As a New Zealander, I’d like to tell readers that tipping is not the norm in New Zealand and staff do not need to top up their wages with tips in order to earn a living wage. Therefore, the NZ glow worm tour example is not a good one. New Zealanders would not tip the guides and would get good cheerful service regardless.

I just asked Siri what a good tip for a tour guide is. Half the time she says 15-20%. The other half, she quotes your article by saying that 5% is good. She doesn’t read any of the points about adding 2%. She just tells people 5%. As a tour guide who works hard to provide an excellent experience for all my guests, it’s a bit disconcerting that Apple phones will tell half of their users that 5% is adequate.

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Privacy Overview

How much should I tip when I travel?

Editor's Note

Even the most seasoned travelers may find tipping while traveling to be complicated and stressful.

After all, most of us want to thank the right people for great service and don't want to stiff underpaid employees who might be depending on gratuities. At the same time, we don't want to double-pay service charges already included in our bills or inadvertently insult someone in a foreign country.

So, who deserves a tip, and when and where should you give it? Also, how much should you tip?

Tipping customs vary based on your destination and what sort of travel you are doing. For hotels, tipping can depend on the room rate, the level of service and the details of your stay. (Did you refuse housekeeping for the duration of your trip? Or, did you trash the room with a massive all-night party?)

The COVID-19 pandemic also impacted the world of tipping. Housekeepers, for example, may have much more extensive cleaning regimens even though they might not touch your room during your stay. Also, short-staffed hotels may add more responsibilities for already overworked employees.

To help you decide how much you should tip during specific travel situations, from tours to hotels to all-inclusive vacations, here's what to know.

Tipping tour guides

Let's start with how much to tip tour guides. Not unlike when you dine at a restaurant, there's a general consensus to tip tour guides based on the level of service you receive.

For tour guides, we recommend tipping 10% to 20% of the overall tour's cost. Of course, you're always welcome (and encouraged) to tip more for exceptional service if you feel inclined.

Whom to tip at hotels

When many hotels eliminated housekeeping services during the COVID-19 pandemic, I got out of the habit of traveling with the cash I used to carry specifically for tipping housekeeping.

But if there's anyone within hotels you should tip, it's housekeeping. Many experts agree that you should tip housekeeping $3 to $5 per day, depending on the length of your stay, your room rate and the level of service.

"These are the hardest-working people in the hotel and the least recognized," Tom Waithe, general manager of the Alexis Hotel Seattle, previously told TPG.

You should, however, be on the lookout for hidden housekeeping fees that some hotels have been adding to room charges — sometimes up to $40 per day. In these cases, a gratuity is not expected, though it's still possible that those hotels are not sharing these fees with staff.

A rule of thumb states that luggage attendants who help you with your bags at hotels (and airports) should receive $1 to $5 per bag. Round up for large groups of bags or if the attendant must take multiple trips or handle fragile or special-request items.

For car valets, a couple of dollars is typically appropriate; you may want to tip more if the valet delivers on a rush request. If you're staying at a hotel for a while and expect to use your car often, start the valet out with a larger tip of about $10 dollars, and explain your situation. You'll likely get your car parked closer and delivered ahead of other people's cars daily.

Butlers and concierges, especially at luxury hotels, should also be tipped an amount determined by what services they've delivered for you. Tipping the head door person at a hotel can also be a way to get improved service during a longer visit.

Who doesn't need a tip at a hotel, then? The people delivering room service meals where a (usually hefty) service charge has already been added to the tab do not necessitate a tip. Of course, you can still feel free to tip them. In the rare cases when gratuity isn't included or if you've asked the staff for some out-of-the-ordinary services, those circumstances would warrant tipping.

Related: Innovations in hotel stays: How to give guests the next-level experience

Tipping around the world

If you've ever traveled outside the U.S., you may have received mixed messages about tipping or confused faces from non-Americans when discussing tipping culture in this country.

In some countries — such as Australia, Japan and China — tipping is not common. It's actually frowned upon in Japan.

"Tipping abroad is so much more than converting currencies. Many countries and cultures each adopt their own nuanced take on this, at times, delicate matter," Tom Marchant, co-founder of the luxury travel company Black Tomato, told TPG. In Australia, where tipping is "not a common transaction," it can even make recipients a bit uncomfortable.

Otherwise, you should distribute tips as you do in the U.S. when visiting most of Europe, touristy areas of Mexico, the Caribbean (excluding all-inclusive resorts ) and Canada. Tipping is also customary in India and the Middle East.

In Central and South America, leaving small amounts of change in the local currency is greatly appreciated. If you're traveling to Africa, expect more intricacies, depending on whether or not you're on safari or staying at an urban property in a major city.

If you're unsure what's customary in a specific destination, feel free to ask around or err on the side of being overly generous.

Related: The ultimate guide to tipping in Europe

When to tip on an all-inclusive vacation

Speaking of all-inclusive resorts, know that daily service charges are typically included in your bill if you're on a cruise or staying at an all-inclusive resort. However, be sure to double-check your folio carefully or inquire with the front desk upon check-in. Also, be sure to verify what's included in a property's resort fees, even for non-inclusive properties.

According to Lindsey Epperly Sulek — founder of Jetset World Travel and a Caribbean travel expert — most traditional all-inclusive resorts, like Sandals in the Caribbean, include gratuity.

If gratuities are not included, you can follow the previously mentioned hotel guidelines : $1 to $5 per bag for the bellhop, $5 per day for housekeeping (left every day), nothing extra for room service (if included on the bill) and a sliding scale for concierges, depending on the task's difficulty.

If you're taking a tour from an all-inclusive resort — such as for a safari — tip your guides and the driver.

Related: The 17 best all-inclusive resorts in the US for a spectacular vacation

Tipping staff during a cruise

Whether they're called service charges or gratuities, the automatic fees cruise lines charge daily to passengers' onboard accounts — sometimes as much as $25.50 per person, per day — are designed to replace cash tipping. It's a policy that was put in place so cruisers won't feel obligated to tip or worry about when and where to present gratuities.

In addition to passenger-facing crew members, such as waitstaff and cabin stewards, many other crew members see a portion of service fees. This includes people who wash dishes and work in cruise ship laundry rooms. You can pay these fees in advance or have them added to your onboard bill. You can adjust the gratuity amount up or down by visiting the guest services desk during your sailing.

If you want to provide an extra boost to a crew member who has gone above and beyond, mention them in your post-cruise survey so they can receive higher-level recognition. This is something that could come with more long-term benefits than a tip.

If you find yourself on a sailing that doesn't charge daily gratuities or you want to tip extra for stellar service, be sure to bring cash. There might also be a tip box by the reception desk.

Have a favorite bartender or waiter on your sailing? An extra gratuity paid early during your trip will go a long way to ensure that above-average service continues throughout your vacation. Keep in mind that most cruise bar purchases and spa treatments automatically include gratuities ranging from about 15% to 18%. There's no need to tip extra unless you want to.

Related: Can I remove prepaid gratuities on a cruise?

Tipping flight attendants and airport employees

Generally, airline employees like flight attendants are not allowed to accept any tips on the job. However, airport staff members are permitted to do so.

One notable exception is Frontier Airlines, which has an inflight tipping program.

Airline employee unions have fought against allowing flight attendants to accept tips, which may seem counterintuitive. However, labor laws allow employers to pay sub-minimum wages if the employees are assumed to be receiving gratuities on a regular basis. Don't be insulted if flight attendants refuse your tip offers — they're doing so to protect their salaries.

Many airlines provide ways passengers can recognize services provided by flight attendants and other employees. For example, Southwest Airlines has its Commend an Employee program that lets you leave positive comments online. This may have a more positive impact than the dollar tip you offered for your gin and tonic.

Should you want to show your appreciation for a particularly friendly or helpful flight attendant, note that gifts such as snacks or coffee shop gift cards are OK.

Bottom line

Tipping is often customary when traveling, depending on where you go, what service you receive and the level of service provided.

Bookmark this guide for your next international trip.

Related reading:

• 8 lessons I learned from my 1st all-inclusive vacation
• 10 times you do not need to tip on a cruise
• Mobile tipping comes to hotels: Will housekeepers really benefit
• We asked a flight attendant for their top insider tips on flying like a pro

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The Ultimate Country-by-country Guide to Tipping in Europe

Here's how much to tip in Europe, from hotels and restaurants to taxis and tour guides.

The staycations and trip cancellations from the past two years are giving way to a big travel year, and European countries are top of mind for many. Much has changed within the travel space since the COVID-19 pandemic, and among the questions tourists have now is: How much should I tip?

This uncertainty is nothing new, actually. Most travelers are aware that tipping practices differ between the U.S. and Europe. Rick Steves, author, TV host, and expert on European travel, recently told Travel + Leisure , "People overthink tipping in Europe." Steves' website also begins with similar advice: "Don't stress over tipping."

Still, some guidelines can be helpful. Customs change, and there's even some thought that pandemic-related restaurant and hotel shutdowns have created a need for larger gratuities. On that topic, Steves said, "There's really no rationale for bigger tipping because of COVID, in my experience."

We also contacted several Europe-based travel professionals for their insight. According to Simone Amorico , co-owner and CEO of Access Italy , "At restaurants in Italy, an average of 10% to 15% is appreciated. When it comes to drivers and tour guides, it all depends on the experience. Average is 10%, but many leave more, especially post-pandemic." He added, "At hotels, guests may tip the concierge or guest relations, depending on the services requested, as well as housekeeping, but the figure varies."

Richard Nahem, longtime Paris resident and owner of Eye Prefer Paris Tours , said, "The tip is usually included in the bill, and it's sometimes called the service charge. It's perfectly acceptable not to leave a tip, but it's customary to leave 3% to 5% as a courtesy. Most restaurants and cafes are not equipped to add a tip to your credit card bill, so it's best to have some coins with you. Hand the cash tip to the server, rather than leaving it on the table." Nahem added, "It's also customary to tip the concierge at hotels, and for taxis, a euro or two is fine."

Travelers to Europe often take group tours and want to reward an especially entertaining or accommodating guide. For a two-hour walking tour, for example, a tip of two to five euros per person is appropriate, according to Rick Steves. For a smaller group, the tip should be more, and for a private guide, 10 to 20 euros for the group is fine in most cases, unless extra service is provided. At bars in Europe, tips are not customary, but leaving change or a few euros is always appreciated, if not expected. For takeaway food or drinks, counter dining, or stand-up service, tips are also not customary.

Clearly, even the advice from experts varies when it comes to tipping customs, and in many cases, it comes down to personal judgment. However, all would agree that no matter how many euros a traveler leaves, it's most important to treat servers and hospitality workers with courtesy .

Here are a few guidelines on tipping in Europe.

The service charge (servizio) is usually included and noted on the check. If there's no service charge, a 10% to 15% tip is fine. A cover charge (coperto) may be indicated, but that is generally not for the waitstaff. At hotels, tip around two euros per bag, and for housekeeping, one euro per night is appropriate. For taxis, no tip is necessary, but leaving the change for the driver is customary. Tips for tour guides vary, but consider 10% an average.

In restaurants, a service charge is often included, but if not, 5% to 10% is normal. At hotels, tip one to two euros per bag for porters, and the same per day for housekeeping. Taxi drivers expect about 10%, and about the same for tour guides, but you may wish to add more if your guide provides special service.

Service is generally included on restaurant checks, but if not, 10% to 15% is considered generous. No tip is necessary for taxis, but rounding up or leaving the change is fine. One euro per bag is customary for porters at hotels, and one euro per day for housekeeping is appreciated, but not required. Tour guide tips vary, depending on the type of tour. Start at 10%, but offer more for a private tour.

As in most other countries, add 10% to 15% if a service charge is not indicated on the restaurant check. For taxis, leave the change or round up if paying cash. In hotels, leave about two euros per night for housekeeping, and tip porters approximately one euro per bag. Tour guide gratuities should be about 10% as a starting point.

Switzerland

A service charge is typically included in the check, but it's customary to add about 10%, depending on the service. For taxis, rounding up to a few Swiss francs is fine. At hotels, a few francs for porters, doormen, and housekeeping is normal for services provided. Gratuities for tour guides will vary depending on the type of tour, with 10% as a general base.

Iceland and Scandinavian Countries

Tipping in these countries is different from most of the other European destinations in that gratuities are not expected. Most restaurants include service in the bill; at most, round up or leave change if paying in cash. Hotel employees don't expect tips for services, but you may still provide a small amount for extra help. Taxi drivers don't expect tips, either, nor do tour guides. However, for a guide that offers something special, or for a private or full-day tour, you may want to give 10% or so.

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Tipping: The Ultimate Guide to Tipping for Travelers

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

Knowing who to tip—along with how much to give and when you should hand over the cash—is one of the most stressful parts of traveling. We’re aiming to take the mystery out of tipping with SmarterTravel’s Ultimate Guide to Tipping for Travelers. This guide was designed to clear up confusion around tipping the people you most commonly encounter on your travels, from waiters to hotel housekeeping. 

Tipping expectations vary significantly around the world. These guidelines are based on current US standards for tips, and will be most useful for domestic trips and US-based cruise lines/tour groups/hotel chains.

Download Our Foldable Tipping Guide

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Here’s how much to tip everyone who helps you get to where you’re going, from taxi drivers to airport porters.

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Tipping at restaurants can be really confusing. Do you have to tip if there is already a “kitchen appreciation fee”? The answer: Yes, because that fee goes toward non-tipped workers in the kitchen, so you’ll still need to tip the waitstaff. Here’s how much to tip everyone at a restaurant.

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For multi-day trips, most tour companies will offer guidelines for tipping that they will share with you after booking. Here’s how much to tip on shorter tours. 

Many cruise lines will cover the topic of tipping in their FAQ section of their website. This is where you can learn if gratuities are included in the cost of your cruise. Most cruise lines automatically add about $15-$20 per person, per day, to your onboard bill at the end of the trip to cover tips. These gratuities go into a pool that’s split between the people you’d typically tip (like waiters and housekeeping staff.) 

If an employee went above and beyond for you on a cruise, you can tip them a bit extra at the end of your voyage to show your appreciation. 

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Automatic gratuities are typically added on to your bill when you order drinks, so be sure to check your receipt before tipping the bartender. The same goes for spa treatments—tips are usually automatically added.

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How Much Do You Tip a Tour Guide?

by Kathryn Walsh

Published on 23 Aug 2018

The best way to say thanks for a job well done

Being a tour guide isn't an easy job, even in a place that feels like paradise such as Honolulu . The job often requires hours of walking (some of it backwards), answering dozens of questions and monitoring the safety of all group members. Guides often aren't paid much, because it's expected that part of their salary comes from tips, so don't be stingy at the end of a tour. Unless your guide was incompetent or rude, you should tip a minimum 5 percent of the cost of the tour, and maybe much more.

Q: What should I tip the guide after a short tour?

A: For a guide who leads a walking tour or short excursion (one full day or shorter), it's customary to tip between 10 and 20 percent of the cost of the tour. You may feel that's too much, especially if you took a high-priced tour; in that case, about 5 percent is suitable.

In some cities, guides lead free walking tours. In those cases, an unspoken understanding exists that tour participants will be generous with tips. Give a minimum of the local equivalent of about $5 per hour.

Even if you feel confident about your ability to calculate a fair tip, ask your hotel's front desk clerk or concierge for guidance about gratuities. They're experts on the area's tourism industry and can suggest an appropriate range, and they can clue you in about any local quirks or customs about tipping. For instance, you may find that local guides prefer American dollars if the exchange rate works in their favor. Getting local input is especially wise outside of North America and Europe, as customs vary in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Central America and South America.

Remember that tipping is intended to be a recognition of a job well done. If your tour guide doesn't provide a good experience, you have no obligation to give a gratuity.

Q: What about a days-long tour?

A: Check with the company that organized your trip. Overnight tours may build in gratuities for the tour guide, and you may feel that the included tip is sufficient.

If the tip isn't included in the price, don't calculate it based on the cost of the tour; after all, that price probably includes hotels, meals and other fees, so adding 10 to 20 percent would be a lot of money. Instead, give a tip equivalent to around $5 per day, plus or minus a few dollars. Increase the tip if the guide went above and beyond to give you a good experience, or less if the guide didn't do much.

Q: Who else should I tip?

A: If your tour involves a separate driver (as opposed to a tour in which the guide doubles as the driver), you may want to tip the driver also. Verify first that your tour price didn't include a gratuity for him or her. You can discreetly ask the guide if you're not sure. A tip equivalent to a few dollars per person per day is usually sufficient.

On a boat tour or any other type of excursion that involves a crew, look for a communal tip container and toss in the equivalent of a few dollars.

These estimates are appropriate if you're traveling solo or with friends who are handling their own tips. If you're the one handling tips for your entire group, however, calculate amounts that reflect it. So you might tip the tour bus driver $1 if it's just you, but give $5 if you're traveling with four kids.

Q: How should I handle tipping a tour guide?

A: Wait until the tour is over and you're ready to part ways with the guide. Count out the tip in exact change. Sometimes guides will put out tip containers at the end of the tour. If not, approach the guide, say thanks and hand over the money.

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A Traveler’s Guide to Tipping in a Changed World

In the age of tip fatigue, many are bewildered by how much to tip in hotels and restaurants and on guided tours. Customs in foreign countries complicate the picture. Here’s some advice from experts.

By Elaine Glusac

Not long into the pandemic, Americans were eager to tip their front-line-working baristas and servers. But now that tip fatigue has set in — driven by the proliferation of payment tablets that suggest tipping for everything from a sandwich at a grab-and-go counter to an ultrasound — consumers are often bewildered by when and how much to tip.

“This is the hottest topic in etiquette right now,” said Daniel Post Senning, the co-author of “Emily Post Etiquette, The Centennial Edition” and the great-great grandson of the etiquette icon Emily Post . He cites the pressure of inflation, the disruption of the pandemic and the rush back to travel for the unease. “There’s growing anxiety and public discussion around tipping.”

Offering guidance on when and how much to tip when you travel, etiquette experts, academics and travelers weighed in with the following advice.

Make 15 to 20 percent your restaurant baseline

Tipping standards at restaurants vary widely around the world. In the United States, the American Hotel & Lodging Association suggests in its “Gratuity Guide” leaving 15 percent of the total bill or up to 20 percent for extraordinary service.

“The minimum is 15 percent,” said Elaine Swann, an etiquette expert and the founder of the Swann School of Protocol in Carlsbad, Calif. “It can be increased from there based on the level of service received.”

Before the pandemic, tip averages in restaurants nationally had crept up to 18 percent, a standard that fell back to 15 percent more recently as inflation grew, according to Amanda Belarmino, an assistant professor in the hospitality school at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “I don’t think consumers want to be stingy, but everybody’s budget is tight and they’re trying to make trade-off decisions,” she said.

Despite expert advice, consumers may not have a choice. In many American cities, tips are increasingly included in the bill and often are well above 15 percent. A recent article making the rounds in New York argues for a 20 to 25 percent standard.

At a trendy cocktail bar in Los Angeles recently, an $18 drink came to $24 after an 18 percent gratuity and an additional fee for employee health care. The bartender mentioned that the establishment includes tips in their tallies because it serves many guests from foreign countries where tipping is not standard.

According to the Independent Restaurant Coalition , service charges benefit all employees, including cooks and dishwashers as well as waiters. “The service charge model ensures that employee compensation is fair, reliable and not reliant on the diners’ experience or bias,” said Erika Polmar, the executive director of the coalition.

Beyond the United States, tip amounts vary, as illustrated in this tipping map. Often, they are less than in the United States and are sometimes included as a service charge (see the section below on tipping abroad).

Don’t be afraid to say no

Some tip requests should be denied, according to experts.

For example, when you’re ordering coffee or a sandwich from a kiosk or counter and are presented with a payment screen including suggested tip amounts, “Push past that awkwardness and push no tip,” Ms. Swann said. “Proprietors are offering a perk to employees and they’re putting it on the backs of consumers to absorb.”

Caving in to social pressure or even a scowl from the employee is, in Ms. Swann’s opinion, “giving in to a level of entitlement that should be nonexistent.”

The growth of credit card payments over cash has made it harder to show a token of appreciation via the tip jar, especially if you’re not carrying cash. If in the past you would pay with cash and leave the coins, Mr. Senning advised rounding up on your credit card and doing the same thing virtually.

Stock up on small bills

Beyond restaurants, travel offers many other opportunities to leave tips for service providers such as cabdrivers, bellhops and valets. Before she takes a trip, Ms. Swann goes to the bank to get cash, especially the $1 and $5 bills that are nearly impossible to withdraw from A.T.M.s.

Most experts agree taxi or rideshare drivers deserve 15 to 20 percent of the fare, depending on the service and the cleanliness of the vehicle. (Ms. Swann once rode in a rideshare car filled with dog hair and made the rare decision not to tip.)

Airport skycaps and the bell people at a hotel should get a few dollars a bag, based on service, and perhaps more if the task is onerous, like handling golf or ski bags. Valet parkers should get $2 to $5 at drop-off and pickup.

And if you only have larger bills, Ms. Swann added, it’s perfectly fine to ask for change back.

Remember the hotel housekeeper

Etiquette experts say hotel guests should leave $2 to $5 a night for the housekeeper each morning. The American Hotel & Lodging Association recommends $1 to $5 a night left daily, preferably in a marked envelope making it clear that it is intended for the housekeeper. In its tipping guide , UNITE HERE, the labor union whose members include hotel workers, suggests a minimum of $5 a day and more for suites.

Not many travelers comply.

Despite having the most physically demanding jobs in hotels with few avenues for advancement, “hotel housekeepers are some of the least-often tipped employees in the service industry,” according to Dr. Belarmino of U.N.L.V. “Unlike servers, who are often paid less than minimum wage that is then made up by tips, hotel housekeepers’ pay is not contingent upon tips. However, it is a courtesy to tip them.”

But in the age of infrequent or optional room cleaning, which has become more common since the pandemic, the guidelines get murkier. “If you stay one night or if you choose to skip housekeeping, I would recommend tipping about $5 at checkout,” Dr. Belarmino said.

If housekeeping is available on demand, most experts recommend tipping each time the room is serviced. And you may want to consider raising the amount.

“If the hotel won’t do daily housekeeping, make sure to tip extra on the days that you do get service and at checkout, because rooms that have gone days without housekeeping are dirtier and harder for housekeepers to clean,” wrote D. Taylor, the international president of UNITE HERE, in an email.

Mind foreign tipping customs

Customs regarding gratuities vary by country. On some trips abroad, guides with the high-end tour company Abercrombie & Kent use orientation sessions to advise guests on when to tip in unexpected places — like bathrooms in Egypt — and provide travelers with small denominations in the local currency to do so.

If you don’t have a guide to instruct you, make learning the culture of tipping abroad part of your trip planning by consulting guidebooks, tourism board websites and online sources like Tripadvisor .

“You have to look at two things: Is it expected and mandatory as it is here in the U.S. for many service jobs? And what is the social safety net like in that place?” said Pauline Frommer, the editorial director of Frommer’s , which publishes travel guidebooks covering 48 countries, including advice on how to tip.

In countries like Mexico, where wages are low, she advised tipping in restaurants as you might at home. In Europe, where waiters are paid better, tipping is less important. On trips to London and Paris last summer, she found bills with service fees included, often listed as “S.C.” for “service charge.”

“If you didn’t know, you might tip on top of that,” she said, recommending that travelers scrutinize their bills and ask if something is unfamiliar.

In Italy, travelers might find a nominal charge called a “coperto” on their bill covering bread and water.

“It comes from the days when you would go to an inn and if you wanted to have a tablecloth and plates, they charged you for it,” said Pam Mercer, the owner of California-based Tuscany Tours , which specializes in small-group travel in Italy and France.

When it comes to restaurant meals in those countries, “There’s not a hard and fast rule,” Ms. Mercer said. Her company advises guests to tip 5 to 10 percent at restaurants and give the tip directly to the waiter.

In cafes and cabs, she rounds up and leaves the change.

“France pays its employees a living wage, unlike the U.S.,” wrote Janice Wang, an American living in France who runs a Facebook group for expatriates there, in an email. “Hence, servers, hairdressers and cabdrivers don’t need tips to live. They appreciate them, but don’t need them. And they never expect a tip.”

Tip your guide

Guide services come in many varieties — from a walking tour leader to a mountaineer who helps you navigate a rock face. Travelers might engage their services for a half-day trip, a two-week tour, and everything in between and beyond.

The global tour company Intrepid Travel states on its website that “tipping is never compulsory, but always appreciated,” while also making the point that tips are a big part of a guide’s income, especially in the United States and Southeast Asia. On a multiday small-group trip in the United States, the company suggests tipping $7 to $10 a day.

The tour company Exit Glacier Guides notes that 10 to 20 percent of the trip cost for its wilderness outings is standard where it operates in Seward, Alaska. The tip for a group walk led by a naturalist beside the Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park that costs $59 a person would therefore be about $6 to $12 a person.

CIE Tours , which offers group trips in Iceland, Ireland, Italy and Britain, recommends tipping tour leaders and bus drivers the equivalent in local currency of roughly $7 to $10 each a day, depending on the location.

But the platform ToursByLocals , where local residents set prices for their own tours, discourages tips.

“The guides are in essence entrepreneurs, rather than employees, and we suggest that the best tip a traveler can leave is to return to the site and leave a thoughtful review, which will help that guide to grow their business,” wrote Paul Melhus, the co-founder and chief executive of ToursByLocals, in an email.

Free tours make it trickier to calculate tips, even though guides work solely for gratuities. Free Tours by Foot , which offers city walking tours around the world, shies away from any guidance on tipping, noting on its website , “You name the price.”

In an email, a representative in the New York office of the company wrote that the range runs “anywhere from just a thank you to $100,” with the average at $10 to $20 a person.

On its website and in email communications, Free Chicago Walking Tours is more transparent, recommending $10 to $20 a person for the guided walks that generally last two hours. Jeff Mikos, who owns the company, estimates guides average about $10 a guest on groups that can be as big as 30, but are usually closer to half of that.

About a quarter of the group “will be genuine and thankful and won’t tip, and the middle-of-the-pack average is slightly under $10 a person,” Mr. Mikos said. “But there’s always one couple with $50.”

Elaine Glusac writes the Frugal Traveler column. Follow her on Instagram: @eglusac .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2023 .

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• Travel Guide

How Much To Tip A Private Tour Guide

Published: December 12, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Andrei Cade

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• Travel Tips

Introduction

Embarking on a private adventure tour is an exciting and luxurious way to explore the world. Whether you’re hiking through breathtaking landscapes, exploring ancient ruins, or discovering hidden gems in bustling cities, a private tour guide can enhance your experience by providing expert knowledge and personalized attention. But when it comes to tipping your tour guide, how much should you give? Tipping is an important aspect of many service industries, and adventure travel is no exception. In this article, we will explore the factors to consider when tipping a private tour guide, customary tipping practices, and guidelines to help you navigate this aspect of your journey.

When determining the appropriate amount to tip your private tour guide, it’s crucial to take several factors into account. The level of service provided, the length and difficulty of the tour, and the destination are all key considerations. A knowledgeable and engaging guide who goes above and beyond to ensure your enjoyment and safety deserves recognition. On the other hand, a guide who falls short of expectations may not warrant the same level of appreciation.

Customs and tipping practices can also vary greatly from one country to another. It’s essential to educate yourself on the local customs to avoid inadvertently offending your guide. Some countries have a strong tipping culture, while others may have more modest expectations. By familiarizing yourself with the specific customs in your destination, you can show respect for the local culture and add an extra touch of appreciation for the exceptional service provided by your private tour guide.

Although there are no strict rules when it comes to tipping private tour guides, there are some general guidelines that can help you make an informed decision. It is customary to tip private tour guides between 10% and 20% of the total cost of the tour. However, this percentage can vary depending on factors such as the quality of service, your satisfaction, and your budget.

While tipping is customary and appreciated in most cases, there are situations where it may not be appropriate or expected. For example, if your tour guide is the owner of the company or if they have already included a substantial service charge in the tour price, tipping may not be necessary. Additionally, if you encounter a tour guide who provides poor service or behaves unprofessionally, it is within your rights to withhold a tip.

Tipping a private tour guide is a gesture of appreciation for their expertise, dedication, and the memorable experiences they provide. By taking into account the factors discussed and following the guidelines for tipping, you can show your gratitude while respecting local customs. Remember, the ultimate goal is to build a positive and mutually rewarding relationship with your private tour guide, ensuring that your adventure is truly unforgettable.

Factors to Consider when Tipping a Private Tour Guide

When deciding how much to tip your private tour guide, several factors should be taken into consideration. These factors can help you determine the appropriate amount to show appreciation for the service provided. Here are some key factors to consider:

• Quality of Service: The level of service provided by your tour guide is an important factor in determining the tip amount. Consider whether your guide went above and beyond to enhance your experience, provided insightful information, and ensured your safety and comfort throughout the tour.
• Length and Difficulty of the Tour: If your private tour was an all-day or multi-day adventure, or involved physically demanding activities, it is worth considering a higher tip amount. Guides who put in extra effort and energy to accommodate your needs and make the tour memorable deserve recognition.
• Destination: Tipping customs and expectations can vary from one destination to another. Research the local culture and tipping practices in the country you are visiting to ensure you adhere to their customs. Some countries may have a strong tipping culture, while others may have more modest expectations.
• Personal Satisfaction: Your personal satisfaction with the tour and the guide’s performance should also influence your tipping decision. If you were exceptionally pleased with the service provided and felt it greatly enhanced your experience, you may want to tip on the higher end of the customary range.
• Budget: While it’s important to acknowledge and appreciate your tour guide’s efforts, it’s equally important to consider your own budget. Tipping should be within your means and not put a strain on your finances. It’s perfectly acceptable to tip at the lower end of the customary range if that is what fits comfortably within your budget.

By taking these factors into consideration, you can arrive at an appropriate tipping amount that reflects the quality of service, the nature of the tour, and your personal satisfaction. It’s important to remember that tipping is a discretionary gesture of appreciation, and there are no strict rules or requirements. However, being mindful of these factors can help you make an informed decision and show your gratitude to your private tour guide.

Customary Tipping Practices for Private Tour Guides

Tipping practices for private tour guides can vary widely depending on the destination and cultural norms. It’s essential to familiarize yourself with the customary tipping practices of the country you are visiting to ensure you show appropriate appreciation for your guide’s service. Here are some general guidelines for customary tipping practices when it comes to private tour guides:

• Research the Local Customs: Before embarking on your adventure tour, take the time to research the tipping customs of your destination. This will give you a better understanding of what is expected and help you avoid any cultural misunderstandings.
• Percentage of the Tour Cost: In many countries, it is customary to tip private tour guides between 10% and 20% of the total cost of the tour. This percentage can vary depending on factors such as the level of service, your satisfaction, and your budget. Consider the quality of service provided and your overall experience when determining the tip amount.
• Consider Group Size: If you’re traveling in a group, it’s important to consider whether the tip should be given individually or pooled together. Some countries have different customs for group tips, so it’s important to clarify with your tour guide or tour company how they prefer to handle tips for larger groups.
• Check if a Service Charge is Included: In some countries or with certain tour companies, a service charge may already be included in the total cost of the tour. This means that tipping may not be necessary or expected. However, if you received exceptional service, you may still choose to give an additional tip as a token of your appreciation.
• Show Appreciation in Local Currency: When tipping your private tour guide, it’s best to give the tip in the local currency to make it more convenient for them. Additionally, using the local currency shows respect for the local customs and demonstrates your understanding of the cultural norms.
• Consider Additional Support Staff: In some cases, your private tour may involve additional support staff, such as drivers, porters, or local guides. It is customary to also tip these individuals separately, as they provide essential services throughout your journey.

Remember that these are general guidelines, and it’s always a good idea to be flexible and adapt to the specific customs and expectations of the country you are visiting. By following these customary tipping practices, you can show your appreciation for the exceptional service provided by your private tour guide and ensure a positive and respectful interaction.

Guidelines for Tipping a Private Tour Guide

When it comes to tipping a private tour guide, it’s helpful to have some general guidelines to ensure you show your appreciation appropriately. While there are no hard and fast rules, the following guidelines can help you navigate the tipping process:

• Consider the Level of Service: Evaluate the level of service provided by your tour guide. Did they go above and beyond to make your experience memorable? Did they demonstrate extensive knowledge and expertise? Tipping should be reflective of the quality of service received.
• Tipping Range: Typically, tipping private tour guides ranges between 10% and 20% of the total cost of the tour. However, this can vary depending on factors such as the destination, the length and difficulty of the tour, and your personal satisfaction. Use this range as a starting point and adjust accordingly based on your own assessment.
• Be Mindful of Your Budget: While it’s important to show appreciation for exceptional service, it’s equally important to stay within your budget. Tipping should not place undue financial strain on you. If you’re not able to tip at the higher end of the range, tipping at the lower end is still a gesture of appreciation.
• Personalize Your Tip: If you had an exceptional experience with your tour guide, consider personalizing your tip. You could include a handwritten note expressing your gratitude for their efforts or a small gift that symbolizes your appreciation. Personal touches can make the tip more memorable and meaningful for your guide.
• Consider Local Customs: Familiarize yourself with the local customs and tipping practices of the country you are visiting. Some countries may have different expectations or customs when it comes to tipping. Being aware of and respecting these customs shows cultural sensitivity and appreciation for the local culture.
• Evaluate Additional Support Staff: If your private tour involves additional support staff, such as drivers or local guides, it’s customary to tip them separately. These individuals also contribute to your overall experience and should be acknowledged for their efforts.

Keep in mind that tipping is a discretionary gesture of appreciation and there are no hard and fast rules. The most important aspect is to recognize and express gratitude for the service provided by your private tour guide. By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your tip reflects the quality of service received while respecting the local customs and staying within your budget.

When Not to Tip a Private Tour Guide

While tipping is a customary practice for private tour guides, there are certain situations where it may not be appropriate or expected. Here are some instances where you might consider withholding a tip:

• Owner of the Tour Company: If your private tour guide is also the owner of the tour company, tipping may not be necessary. In this case, the guide already benefits from the profits of the tour, and an additional tip may not be expected. However, if the guide provided exceptional service, you may still choose to give a tip as a token of appreciation.
• Price Includes a Substantial Service Charge: Some private tours may already include a substantial service charge in the total cost. In such cases, tipping may not be necessary, as the service charge already compensates the guide for their services. However, if you were exceptionally pleased with the service or received personalized attention, you can still consider giving an additional tip.
• Poor Service or Unprofessional Behavior: If your tour guide provides poor service, behaves unprofessionally, or fails to meet your expectations, it is within your rights to withhold a tip. Tipping is meant to acknowledge and appreciate exceptional service, and if that service is lacking, you are not obligated to give a tip.
• Not Customary in the Local Culture: In some cultures or destinations, tipping may not be a customary practice for private tour guides. It’s important to research and respect the local customs when it comes to tipping. In these cases, showing appreciation through verbal praise or a thank-you note may be more appropriate.
• Tour is Inclusive of Tips: There may be instances where the tour package you booked already includes tips for the guide and other support staff. In these cases, it is not necessary to give an additional tip, as it has already been factored into the overall cost of the tour.

Remember, tipping is a personal decision based on the quality of service received and the specific circumstances of the tour. It is important to consider these factors and make an informed decision about whether or not to tip your private tour guide. However, it is always encouraged to acknowledge and express appreciation for exceptional service in some form, whether it be through a tip, a kind gesture, or a positive review.

Tipping a private tour guide is a way to show appreciation for their exceptional service, expertise, and dedication to making your adventure memorable. While there are no strict rules when it comes to tipping, considering factors such as the quality of service, the length and difficulty of the tour, the destination, and your personal satisfaction can help you determine an appropriate tip amount.

Researching the local customs and tipping practices of your destination is crucial to ensure you adhere to cultural norms. It demonstrates respect for the local culture and shows your understanding and appreciation for their customs. In some countries, tipping private tour guides between 10% and 20% of the total tour cost is customary, but this can vary depending on the factors mentioned above. Ultimately, your tipping decision should be based on your own assessment and budget.

It’s important to remember that tipping is a discretionary gesture of gratitude. In some instances, such as when the guide is the owner of the tour company or if a service charge is already included in the price, tipping may not be necessary or expected. Similarly, if your tour guide provides poor service or behaves unprofessionally, you may choose to withhold a tip.

By following guidelines, being mindful of cultural customs, and evaluating the level of service and your own satisfaction, you can ensure that your tip is a genuine expression of appreciation for your private tour guide’s efforts. Always remember to show respect, use the local currency, and consider tipping additional support staff if applicable.

Tipping is just one way to express your gratitude. Verbal praise, a handwritten note, or a positive review can also go a long way in acknowledging and appreciating the outstanding service provided by your private tour guide. The ultimate goal is to foster a positive and mutually rewarding relationship, ensuring that your adventure travel experience is truly unforgettable.

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Should you tip your tour leader? Here’s what we think.

Tipping is one of those topics than tends to split travellers into tribes: the Pro Tippers and the I’ve-Already-Paid-For-This-Service-Thank-You Anti-Tippers.

Usually the divide is simple: travellers who come from countries that tip versus travellers who didn’t grow up with a tipping culture. But it can be a thorny question. What are the rules? How much should you tip (if at all)? What are the consequences if you get it wrong?

We’ve already written a bit about tipping in America and Vietnam (and Smarter Travel has some good general advice) but today we’re talking about small group travel. In particular: whether or not to tip your tour leader.

Our position

We work closely with local unions and abide by regional laws on wages to make sure every local leader and porter gets a fair and decent wage. But tipping is still a big part of leaders’ overall income. Particularly in cultures where tipping is entrenched in the tourism industry, like America and South East Asia.

RELATED: HOW TO BUDGET LIKE A BOSS, SPEND LIKE A LOCAL ON YOUR NEXT BIG ADVENTURE

Why tipping matters

But beyond good manners, tipping injects cash into the local economy, which is really the big benefit of small group tourism. By tipping in local currency, you’re making sure money is going to those who deserve it most. Tips don’t pass through any third party (not even Intrepid). They either go straight to the leader, or get divided up among your porters and local guides.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR LOCAL LEADERS HERE

Do I have to tip?

All we ask is that you research the effects of tipping before making up your mind. And if you still don’t want to tip, find some other way to show your gratitude. Your local leader will really appreciate it.

RELATED: 12 COMMON (AND EXPENSIVE) TRAVEL MISTAKES – AND HOW TO AVOID THEM

How much should I tip?

If you haven’t been on an Intrepid trip before, and the idea of tipping is giving you mild anxiety, this is generally what happens: on the last day, over lunch or dinner, the group covertly gets together (like an office organising a colleague’s surprise party). Some discuss how much they’re thinking of tipping (talking about money can be awkward, so some travellers just put in what they feel), and there’s a quick whip-around in an envelope, which gets presented to the leader at the completion of the tour. It’s also fine to give your own tip separately from the rest of the group. The amount each traveller tips is usually anonymous.

How much you put in is up to you. Chat it over with your group. See what you think is fair. Whatever amount you decide on, we can almost guarantee it will make a substantial difference to your leader.

If I don’t feel like tipping, what should I do?

If you’d like some more info on tipping, or anything else to do with Intrepid leaders, check out our FAQ page. There’s some good general advice there.

Interesting in exploring the world on an Intrepid small group adventure? Search our range of tours now . 

All images C/O Intrepid Travel. 

Feeling inspired?

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid has been leading small group adventures for over 30 years. We’re a certified B Corp, which means we want to be the best travel company not just in the world, but for the world. To create positive change through the joy of travel. You can read our latest adventures right here.

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• tipping the tour ...

tipping the tour director

how and what does one tip the tour director who travels with one on a guided tour?

There is no hard and fast rule either way. For us it would depend on the role of the tour director and services provided. Is the tour director also doubling as tour guide? And other factors - how is the tour, total cost, etc. If the tour director went over the top and really made the tour sizzle, I might tip 10%. But there are so many variables that it is hard to give a specific answer. Let your gut be your guide - unless you are a cheapskate and don't tip anything.

If you look at your tour documents there is usually a section with suggested tips per day for your tour director and driver.

This is just a suggested amount. If you think the tour director did a great job you can always give more. If you think the tour director did a lousy job, you can give nothing or very little. (If there isn't any information about this in your tour documents, contact the tour company and ask. Every company has a different guideline.

Tips are usually given on the last day of the tour when the group says goodbye. Putting it in an envelope and handing it to the person is a nice and easy way to do so.

On some tours, one person may organize a group tip in which everyone contributes and then it's handed to the tour director. Tour directors hate this because group tips are always much lower than when they receive them individually.

The tour director does much more than just play guide. He/she is responsible for every aspect of that tour once it departs. If a problem arises, the tour director will take care of it and in most cases the passengers will never know anything happened. He/she must confirm all reservations, make news ones if necessary, change itineraries when weather or other issues arise, and be on call 24 hours a day for an emergency.

Tour directors do not make a lot of money regardless of what anyone thinks. They don't do it for the money. Every one I know did it because they love to travel, enjoyed being "on stage" and liked to have fun with groups of people.

As Frank II mentioned, the tour documents will generally indicate a suggested tip amount for the tour director and in some cases the bus driver. You can determine whether to tip more or less than the suggested amount, based on the level of service received during the tour.

One point to mention is that if you're taking a RS tour, there is NO tipping for tour director, drivers or local guides as this is all built into the tour cost.

I have worked as a Tour Director for over 20 years. While the role of Tour Director may look easy (it is not) and fun (it is) it is a vocation for me not a vacation. In addition to what the passengers see of the Tour Director they may not be aware of the hundreds of hours of research done for each and every tour. As a Tour Director I not only handle the day to day activity, confirming reservations, dealing with suppliers, teamwork with the motor coach driver, handling all emergencies (sick passenger, death, missing passenger, hotel concerns, optional excursions, financial accounting, etc.) but also the narration of the history, geography, demographics, culture, music, food, shopping tips, etc. and to present this information in an educational and entertaining manner as well as insuring its accuracy. Yes, my expenses are paid and I receive a salary as an independent contractor. I do not perform my work for expected tips but they are definitely appreciated. As stated most companies provide the passengers with a recommended tip which can be adjusted up for a superior job and down for a poor one. Tips should be given individually or as a couple never collected as a group. Frank Slater, CEO, International Guide Academy, Denver, CO

That grumbling in the background is me after having paid a boatload of money for a 1/2 or full day tour. If not the owner/operator, are tour directors for day-only packages underpaid?

Thanks to every Frank, Dick, Bruce, and Ken.

A person who takes you on a one day tour is a tour guide. A tour director is someone who leads a multi-day tour. Rick Steves incorrectly calls his tour directors--tour guides. This way, when he can compare his "guides" to both other companies tour guides and tour directors without making the distinction.

I've worked as both a tour director and tour guide. . As a tour director, I was paid a decent wage but appreciated the extra I received in gratuities. Sadly, in many cases, local tour guides are underpaid. They are expected to make it up in tips. Some also make it up by taking you shopping.

And while many people on this board find that repulsive, you'd be surprised how popular a shopping trip could be.

Thanks, Frank for this insight. I tip. I've learned so much from my tourguides, and Americans can be so cheap when they travel.

That's interesting, my perception is that Americans in general are very generous tippers. Often times tipping even when they shouldn't be.

So, as a tour director or tour guide and to maximize tips, which nationalities do you prefer?

Could Donna have meant that Americans are cheap when it comes to shelling out a bit of money for a tour? Many would rather than walk around with their nose in a guidebook, to save 20 €, so not about the tipping at all. Look how many people want to save a few euro by riding bus 100 around Berlin, rather than go on a tour for 12 €? Or those that want a "free" tour in Paris rather than a bike tour for 15 €. Then there are those that spend their entire trip eating from grocery stores and in train stations just to save a couple of €, rather than enjoying the food of the country they are visiting. Penny wise and pound foolish. They spend 1000's to get here, and then scrimp on the very things that would make their trip memorable. That is what I call cheap.

You can't go by nationalities as every tour is different. I've had tours with mostly Americans where the tipping is terrible. On the other hand, I've done all Aussie tours, where the culture doesn't include tipping, and they've been very generous.

It has more to do with age, quality of the tour (budget vs. high end), length of tour, and luck.

However, there are certain nationalities that are know to not tip well, if at all, but since they don't speak English, I haven''t encountered them.

Americans are not cheap,,,most err on overtipping. Wondering where that comment came from Donna.

This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity.

A Shockingly Low Percentage Of People Tip Rideshare Drivers — Here's The Awful Truth

On Assignment For HuffPost

You probably have a good relationship with your barista, your hair stylist and the bartender at your local pub. So it makes sense that you tip them frequently and well. But that rideshare driver who just showed up? You’ll never see them after this jaunt, so it’s easy to think your tip matters less.

Perhaps that’s one reason why, when you get a reminder to tip, during the ride and after, you might choose to ignore it. It may seem like a small thing to you, but according to drivers, not tipping makes it harder than ever for them to make a decent living behind the wheel.

Yes, money is tight and rides can be pricey, especially during surge periods. But do you know how much of a costly trip to the airport — say, $50 — ends up in the driver’s pocket? Often, it might be as little as $10, or 20%. And remember that while your barista doesn’t need to source their own beans and your mixologist doesn’t have to supply beers to the bar, rideshare drivers must provide their own vehicles, pay for insurance and fill up the tank, all on their own dime.

How many people tip?

Nicole Moore is the president of Rideshare Drivers United , which she described as “an organization of drivers, fighting for drivers, led by drivers.” She said that tipping is important for everyone in the industry.

“Sometimes we drivers get as little as 20% of the total fare,” she said. In her home state, California, she said, “after expenses and because of the lack of benefits, drivers are making less than minimum wage.”

You may skip a tip from time to time, assuring yourself that everyone else is tipping regularly. That’s not the case at all, said Sergio Avedian , senior contributor at The Rideshare Guy , an online resource for rideshare drivers. “I average higher than most among my peers here in Los Angeles, and I usually only have about 15% of my passengers tip me,” he said.

Recent data backs up his observations. A recent study by Gridwise , a data analytics company and app that helps drivers track their earnings, showed that 28% of Uber and Lyft ride-hailing trips result in a tip, as reported by Business Insider . That’s much lower than other services, with 90% of food-delivery trips getting a customer tip, compared with 75% of grocery-delivery trips. In another survey of over 500 gig drivers, Gridwise reported that 78% of gig drivers said tips mattered significantly to their overall incomes.

Is anonymity making it easier to be a cheapskate? After all, even if you’ve stiffed someone, odds are you’ll never see that driver again. “I’ve driven more than 10,000 trips in Los Angeles, and I’ve never seen the same person twice,” Avedian said.

How did we get here?

Avedian offered a bit of background on the history of rideshares and tipping.

“Uber, which was the first on the scene, set up their system without an easy way to tip,” he explained. “People often didn’t even realize it was possible to tip their driver. Back then, though, drivers were making from 60% to 80% of the value of a ride, which is now much, much lower. At best, we get half the cost of a trip, or less. Then Lyft came along five years later in 2017, and they made a provision for tipping from day one, so then Uber jumped in and had a tipping function, too.”

But with just over one in five passengers choosing a tip of any size, times are tougher for rideshare drivers.

Of course, there are times when service is awful and a tip shouldn’t be given. “I agree that not every driver should be tipped,” Avedian said. But if the ride was a good one, he said, remember that “tipping is an important revenue source for the driver.”

Do drivers even know if you’ve tipped them?

Uber drivers don’t know what kind of tipper you are until the ride is complete, based on how the Uber app functions.

Levi Spires is an Uber driver who creates content about rideshare culture . He explained it this way: “Unlike food delivery, your Uber driver doesn’t know if they’ll get a tip until about five minutes after you’re out of the car. Drivers don’t know who tips us until after you exit the car and we rate you.”

Avedian said that there’s a similar delay with Lyft. He also noted that with both services, drivers’ tips can have extreme delays. “Sometimes tips show up days, if not weeks, later,” he said.

Since riders are not verified like drivers, your driver can’t see anything other than the name that you’ve provided (which might not even be your real name). Avedian said that Uber had been testing out the inclusion of notice on the request screen designating what they called a “Top Tipper Rider.”

“Unfortunately, they got rid of it after a few months of piloting it,” he said.

Spires said he often receives requests to wait for passengers, and often those requests come with the promise of a tip. “But we drivers know that people who promise tips sometimes don’t tip,” he said. He once received eight cents from a passenger who asked him to wait and promised to tip $8, but he had no way to contact the person or ask if it was a mistake. In the last four years of driving, he said, “Eleven percent of my total income is from tips.”

Being asked to wait, as Spires mentioned above, makes life even tougher for rideshare drivers, for whom time is truly money. If every person asks their driver to wait 10 minutes, that driver has less available time to work. So even if you can’t tip big, at least show up where you need to be.

“It’s rude to make your driver wait, said Uber driver Matthew Reid . “Being ready at pickup is almost — almost — better than a tip.”

Who are the best tippers?

Jeff Hoenig is a part-time Uber driver who works in Myrtle Beach and Charleston, South Carolina. He’s the author of “Driving On the Sunny Side With 10,000 Strangers: Celebrating The Lives of My Uber/Lyft Riders .”

With a current passenger count now exceeding 13,000 rides, he has some thoughts on what’s considered to be a good tip. “If it’s a very short ride, any tip should be appreciated. I’ve gotten $5 tips on $3 to $4 rides, and I’m very thankful for those. But then there are long rides of an hour or more for which we receive no tip. In those cases, that tip would have made all the difference in the world.”

Still, even though he tends to get a higher percentage of tipping passengers than drivers in other cities, most people don’t tip him at all. “As great a job as I do, and as much fun my passengers have, about 55% of my last 5,000 rides have not tipped.” He wishes that riders knew more about the drivers’ share of costs: “If they could see clearly what the driver was getting, I think some of them would be mad, and maybe they’d be more generous.”

Over the years, he’s kept an informal tally of those most likely to tip. At the top of his list: tourists. Other folks who are usually more likely to tip include locals who are traveling in the area, people going to the airport, other rideshare drivers, bartenders and older couples heading out for dinner. His list seems like the perfect mix of people who are in good moods, might recognize him from around town and/or those who understand the necessity to tip in a service culture.

But in the end, service matters more than demographics, he believes. “I give the best ride I can, no matter who’s in the car,” he said. “Good karma and good tips will come.”

What’s enough? And what more can you do?

“I think a large number of riders don’t realize what a huge difference even a dollar or two makes,” Reid said. “Drivers bear all the risk and expense of being on the road. Costs are up, safety risks are increasing and fares from the rideshare companies are down. Tips make a large part of our weekly earnings, and every tip is appreciated.”

Moore, the drivers’ union president, said she considers 20% of a ride’s cost to be a fair tip. But she said you also can do more if you’d like: “Tip your driver, but also tell your officials that drivers need the protections that other workers have. We think this industry needs stronger regulation to ensure fair wages for driver pay and also to protect passengers from being charged exorbitant amounts.”

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A first-timer's guide to Saskatoon, Canada

Apr 26, 2024 • 6 min read

From timing your visit right to planning your activities, here's our first-timer's guide to Saskatoon © K. D. Kirchmeier / Getty Images

Surrounded by gentle wheat fields beneath a dome of great prairie skies, Saskatoon is the largest city in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan .

Straddling the South Saskatchewan River, it has been the province’s cultural and economic hub since its settlement in the late 19th century (but not its capital – that falls to Regina).

The Northern Plains Indigenous Peoples had been guardians of this land for over 6000 years when, in 1883, white Methodists founded the town as a temperance colony, naming it after the purple berry growing in the region. While the railroad eventually reached the fledgling town in 1890, Saskatoon still only had 113 inhabitants at the turn of the century. A boom period of new settlers and entrepreneurs soon followed, and Saskatoon grew into a thriving city, albeit isolated from big cities like Vancouver , Toronto and Montréal .

Today, the sometimes stark prairie landscapes around the city look like nowhere else in the country. Downtown, you’ll find street art tours, compelling museums, craft beer breweries, a variety of architecture and some fine riverside trails. And Saskatoon now proudly explains and celebrates the Indigenous Peoples who have been here for thousands of years, with the Wanuskewen complex a majestic and poignant monument to that past and present.

These top tips can help you plan a trip to Saskatoon.

When should I go to Saskatoon?

Though Saskatoon – one of the sunniest cities in Canada  – receives plenty of sunlight (2350.4 hours annually), winters are long and cold so plan to visit during the glorious summer months between June and August. This is the busiest time of year, but since Saskatoon is a little more under-the-radar than other Canadian cities, it’s not overwhelmed by tourists and offers much better value for money regarding accommodation and eating out. 

The city comes alive with music on those effulgent summer days with magnificent festivals across multiple genres including the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival , Rock the River and the Ness Creek Music Festival . And for those who do want to embrace Saskatchewan winter scenes, the Nutrien Wintershines Festival hosts ice sculptures, cook-offs, stargazing and more. 

How long should I spend in Saskatoon?

Allow two to three days to explore Saskatoon, but also leave time for attractions on the city’s outskirts that make use of the abundant prairie space. You’ll spend the majority of your time in downtown Saskatoon, on the river trails and the Broadway neighborhood, which is ideal for a weekend. More planning is needed for the excursions out of the city, so map out an extra day or two for those depending on time and budget. 

Is it easy to get in and around Saskatoon?

Saskatoon John G. Diefenbaker International Airport is 7km (4 miles) northwest of downtown Saskatoon, which is about 18 minutes by taxi, the most convenient form of travel to any downtown hotel. The number 11 bus also runs from the airport, and takes around 30 minutes to make the same journey (without factoring in walking to the hotel).

Though its streets are wide, Saskatoon’s downtown core is highly walkable and there are several bridges spanning the South Saskatchewan River that link to Broadway Ave’s bars, cafes and stores. Consider hiring a bike too, as the relatively flat landscape and serpentine river trails are ideal for cycling. Visitors to Wanuskewen will need to hire a car or take a taxi.

Traveling elsewhere in Canada? Here are our top tips on transportation

6 of the best things to do in Saskatoon

1. explore the meewasin valley trail.

Saskatoon’s huge prairie skies are evocative and entice you outside, so the best way to experience the great outdoors here is by following some of the Meewasin Valley Trail . Flanking the serpentine river, the 25km (15 mile) trails are a fine introduction to Saskatoon’s cityscape, and are best experienced on two wheels (look out for the motivational chalk murals and messages along the way).

2. See artworks in the Remai Modern

The river winds south to River Landing in downtown’s southern tip, and it’s here that the Tetris-like Remai Modern  museum rises up on a small bluff. Alongside a permanent collection featuring over 8000 works from Canadian and international artists, there’s also a quirky permanent exhibition of ceramics and linocuts by Pablo Picasso in this spacious museum bursting with natural light. 

3. Enjoy the buss of Broadway Avenue

A short walk across the Broadway Bridge brings cinematic city views followed by a stroll into arguably the most vibrant corner of Saskatoon. Airy breweries , buzzing bistros, kitsch vinyl stores and the iconic Broadway Theatre fringe Broadway Ave, which is a fine spot to spend a morning, afternoon or evening (perhaps even all three?). 

4. Take yourself on a tour of downtown's murals and architecture

Back in downtown, discover an art-splashed city on a self-guided street art tour passing by huge murals and multicolored installations spanning 20th and 23rd Street East. Even if you’re not staying there, the Delta Bessborough Hotel is something of a work of art itself. Completed in 1935, the Bessborough is a soaring Châteauesque turreted and gabled affair reminiscent of Bavarian castles that looks startlingly out of place.

5. See how Saskatoon was

Towards the edge of the city, the Western Development Museum’s compelling Boomtown exhibit is an indoor reconstruction of a typical Saskatchewan small-town main street from 1910, complete with a blacksmith, church and train station.

6. Taste local produce at the farmers market

And for a true experience of this land, it’s worth a visit to the Saskatoon Farmers Market  – an institution running since 1975 and stuffed with vendors selling everything from wild berries to handmade moccasins.

My favorite thing to do in Saskatoon

There’s a magical quality to watching the sun sink behind the widescreen horizon at Wanuskewin Heritage Park . Not like the picture-postcard sunsets you see on Caribbean beaches, it’s more of a calming, spiritual feeling as the sun’s soft glow fades across the marshy creeks and wooded ridges of the Opamihaw Valley. Shortly after, I watched the moon rise against a blue evening canvas. Known as nēhiyawēwin in Plains Cree, Wanuskewin roughly translates to "seeking peace of mind" and that name couldn’t be more apt. 

Around 20 minutes north of downtown Saskatoon, Wanuskewin tells the story of the Northern Plains Indigenous People’s spiritual relationship to this land and the living creatures they share it with, most notably the repopulated bison. You can explore panels, artwork, interactive classes, traditional food and much more, but most importantly that story – which is never sugarcoated – is told by Indigenous People themselves. Few experiences I’ve had in North America have felt deeper and more enlightening than this one.

How much money do I need for Saskatoon?

• Hostel room: $79
• Hotel room for two: $94
• Public transport ticket: $3
• Coffee: $3.60
• Sandwich: $3
• Dinner for two: $73
• Beer/pint at a bar: $5.80

Budget for your time in Canada with out money-saving tips

Should I visit in winter?

With an average temperature of -13°C (8°F) in January, winter in Saskatoon is only for the hardiest of souls. However, one bonus of a visit in this season – along with budget-friendly prices – is the chance of seeing the northern lights, with the aurora's stunning swirls sometimes visible if the stars align (no pun intended). Just remember to pack plenty of layers.

What language is spoken in Saskatoon?

Though English and French are official languages in Saskatchewan, English is by far the most spoken language in Saskatoon and you’ll need it for all of your interactions. 

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Money latest: Supermarket caught out over 'fake farm'; bank boss reveals interest rate prediction

Our series on how to eat more healthily for less is back - and we're looking at breakfast. Read this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news below, plus leave a comment in the box.

Friday 3 May 2024 19:30, UK

• Lidl rushes to remove 'fake farm' references after MP grilling
• HSBC chair predicts when interest rate cut will come
• Prescription charges rose this week - but there are ways to pay less
• Weak US jobs news sparks rise in bets on interest rate cut

Essential reads

• Mortgage rates are rising - here's everything you need to know if you're a first-time buyer right now
• Which cereals have least sugar? Your guide to a healthier breakfast without paying a fortune
• How to nab yourself a free upgrade on a flight
• You're probably washing and storing your clothes wrong. Here's what you should do instead
• Money Problem : 'Builders won't repair dodgy work - what are my rights?'

Ask a question or make a comment

A cash ISA offering an interest rate of 4.5% has been launched today by Melton Building Society .

The interest is paid annually on 31 March and can be added to the account, transferred to your bank account or transferred to an existing Melton savings account.

Here's what you need to know...

How do you open an account?

• You must be a UK resident and be aged 16; 
• Accounts can be opened with a minimum amount of £25 and the maximum that can be held in this account is £500,000.

Can you withdraw money?

Yes, you can withdraw money as long as you give the bank 180 days' notice in branch, by post or phone

Once you have done this, all or part of the investments in the ISA, including any interest earned, will be transferred to you.

You can also access your money without giving notice, but you will be charged 180 days' interest on the amount you withdraw. 

A lack of demand for new electric cars has led some brands to begin slashing prices. 

Even some of the UK's best-selling electric cars are thousands of pounds cheaper than a year ago, according to Auto Trader figures shared with The Times . 

Among the most heavily discounted vehicles are the Honda E, down 20% versus a year ago at £29,600, and the Peugeot E-2008, which has fallen in price by 15% to £30,000. 

The Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-e are both being advertised at a 20% off sale price, while the MG ZS and MG5 are discounted by 15%. 

Meanwhile, Ford's flagship electric car, the Mustang Mach-E, has fallen in price by 14%. 

Ian Plummer, Auto Trader's commercial director, said lower prices are good news for car buyers and that it was "encouraging" to see more affordable electric cars on the market. 

He said the discounts had been "driven by a softening in consumer demand, coupled with the introduction of the zero-emissions vehicle mandate, which is putting pressure on manufacturers to comply with the new regulations or face heavy fines". 

The government's zero-emission vehicle ( ZEV ) mandate requirers manufacturers to produce a certain percentage of zero-emission cars and vans each year.

It started when comedian Peter Kay, who was supposed to be the first official act for the new Manchester Co-op Live on 23 April, had his performances rescheduled.

Rick Astley's performance on 20 April was a "test event" for the venue but ticket capacity was slashed just hours before his gig was due to begin.

Astley fans who had their tickets cancelled were instead offered seats to see US rock band The Black Keys play - but their show has also been affected.

And to add to the chaos, this week Olivia Rodrigo's concerts, scheduled for 3 and 4 May, were postponed.

Then, Take That announced they were moving their shows from the venue to the AO Arena in Manchester.

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert was also postponed just over an hour before the rapper was set to perform.

Today, Barry Manilow also said he had a "back-up plan" to move his Manchester performance from the beleaguered venue. 

The ongoing mayhem has left disgruntled concert-goers voicing their frustration, with some calling for travel and accommodation to be reimbursed and others calling the situation "embarrassing".

"There will be countless people who would've booked travel and hotels just for you to stitch them up because you couldn't meet assured deadlines," one person wrote on X.

Another person said the music venue should "at the very minimum" be "looking at refunding travel/hotel costs for people that can prove they paid for cancelled dates".

And another person asked: "How do I get a refund for parking? There's no info on your site or app."

Organisers at Co-op Live said the venue would be taking "a short pause to events" before welcoming members of the public to the arena from 14 May.

A Co-op Live statement said: "At this time, we do not expect further impact on our opening season. We are aware our actions have frustrated and angered ticketholders."

Tim Leiweke, chairman and chief executive of Oak View Group, which developed Co-op Live in partnership with the City Football Group, has said they cannot run any event until it is "absolutely safe to do so".

A Co-op Group spokesperson said: "As naming rights sponsor for Co-op Live we are disappointed with these further schedule changes.

"Co-op is a sponsor and does not own or run the venue, and we have made it clear to Oak View Group, who are responsible for the building, that the impact on ticketholders must be addressed as a priority."

An Itsu freezer product is being urgently recalled over fears it could contain plastic. 

Customers are being told not to eat Itsu's sizzling pork gyoza, which is sold at Asda and Sainsbury's.

The 240g packs with a best before date of 8 March 2025 are those affected by the recall.

A 200-year-old Edinburgh attraction is reopening this month after being closed for four years. 

The Nelson Monument is a 150ft tower overlooking the city, and was built to commemorate Admiral Horatio Nelson's victory at the Battle of Trafalgar.

It has been shut for essential works for years, but visitors will soon be able to climb its 143 steps again.

An official opening date has not yet been given.

HMRC's Welsh-language app is only being used by two in every 100 native speakers, according to a new report by The Telegraph .

A freedom of information request by the paper found that 13,831 Welsh speakers have used the app since its launch in June 2022.

That equates to 1.5% of the nearly 900,000 people who say they speak the language.

Jonathan Eida, researcher at the TaxPayers' Alliance pressure group, told the newspaper he thought the move was a "gimmick".

Gig ticket prices may be eye-wateringly high at the moment (just like everything else, let's face it) but a big sale next week will see tens of thousands of tickets at discounted prices. 

LiveNation is holding a sale for 24 hours from noon on Thursday until noon on Friday, with prices starting from £25. 

Artists who you can get discounted tickets to see include Doja Cat, Meghan Thee Stallion, Shania Twain, Becky Hill, Avril Lavigne, Eric Prydz, Giggs, Glass Animals, James Arthur, JLS, Jungle, Kaiser Chiefs, Limp Bizkit, Offset, McFly, Olly Murs, Paloma Faith, Placebo, Tom Jones, Tiesto and The Streets. 

You can find the full line-up of artists and venues with discounted tickets  on the LiveNation website here .

The company will also be holding promotions and competitions throughout next week. 

By James Sillars , business news reporter

Financial markets are strange beasts.

You would think that fewer new jobs being created in the United States would be a cause for concern.

Hardly. It is being positively celebrated.

Closely watched figures out at 1.30pm showed an easing in both jobs and wage growth by more than expected last month.

It has led to greater bets on the US Federal Reserve, the central bank, introducing its first interest rate cut in September.

A hot economy and stubborn inflation have dragged on market sentiment in recent weeks.

Investors desperately want to see cheaper borrowing costs.

In reaction, US stock market futures showed the S&P 500 would open more than 1% higher.

The FTSE 100 was also on track for another record close. It was trading 0.8% higher at 8,234.

That was despite a big weakening in the dollar.

The pound gained three-quarters of a cent to $1.26 versus the US currency after the jobs data dropped.

Tech giant Apple has recorded the biggest drop in iPhone sales since the early months of the COVID pandemic.

Sales for January to March were down 10% on the same period last year - something not seen since the 2020 iPhone model was delayed due to lockdown factory closures.

Overall, Apple earned $90.8bn (£72.4bn) in the latest quarter - down 4% from a year ago. It was the fifth consecutive three-month period that the company's revenue dipped from the previous year.

Apple's profit in the past quarter was $23.64bn (£18.85bn) - a 2% dip from a year ago.

It was good news, however, for the overall value of the company as its share price rose nearly 7% after investors had expected a bigger drop in sales.

You can read more here ...

The chair of HSBC has predicted the Bank of England will cut interest rates in June.

Speaking at HSBC's annual general meeting today, Mark Tucker said he expected the European Central Bank and Bank of England to cut rates next month, both lowering by 150 basis points by the end of 2025.

He also said he expected the US Federal Reserve to cut rates in September.

However, yesterday, one of the world's leading economic authorities, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, said interest rates, which are at a post-2008 era high of 5.25%, should stay there.

"The fiscal and monetary policy mix is adequately restrictive and should remain so until inflation returns durably to target," the OECD's economic outlook for 2024 said.

Mango plans to open 20 new stores this year as it continues to strengthen its UK presence.

The Spanish fashion retailer, which arrived in the UK in 1999, will be opening stores in several cities in Northern Ireland and central and southern England, as well as Scotland.

There are also plans to open four stores in London. 

Daniel Lopez, Mango director of expansion and franchising, told Retail Gazette the expansion "will consolidate the Mango brand" and help "strengthen it internationally".

The retailer recently unveiled a spring/summer collection in collaboration with Victoria Beckham.

Lidl has rushed to remove old references to so-called fake farm branding on its website after being questioned by MPs.

The retail chain told MPs yesterday that a picture of its "Strathvale farm chicken" was a "mistake" after telling them they did not use so-called fake farms.

Appearing in front of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on fairness in the food supply chain, Lidl GB's chief commercial officer Richard Bourns was questioned on the fairness of supermarkets using fake farms to market their food.

Mr Bourns, who was questioned by committee member Rosie Duffield on using "Strathvale farm" branding for meat products, replied: "We don't use Strathvale farms, we use Strathvale.

"We do not use farm brands, just to be absolutely clear."

Committee chairman Robert Goodwill, who had access to the internet, said: "Oh wait a minute, we have here a Strathvale farm Scottish large chicken, for £3.85. Gosh that's cheap.

"So there is on the website at least, a reference to Strathvale farm."

Mr Bourns replied: "If there is a reference to Strathvale farms on our website I'd want to take that away and correct it.

"It could be the case that our website is not up to date.

"We do not have an online offering but I can categorically tell you we do not have farms brands in our business, just to be absolutely clear."

After the committee hearing a Lidl spokesperson said: "Any historic web pages featuring old packaging that appear via a search engine are in the process of being removed to ensure complete accuracy."

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Automotive, Travel, and Traffic Safety Information

When It Comes to Gas Prices, May Starts Off Meh

By: andrew gross.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 2, 2024)—The national average for a gallon of gas waffled up and down over the past week before settling higher by two cents at $3.67.  The slight increase in pump prices happened despite a lull in domestic gasoline demand and falling oil prices.

“From a demand perspective, we have entered the pre-Memorial Day funk,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “And the cost of a barrel of oil is nearly $10 less than two weeks ago, as oil prices have fallen into the upper $70s. This may keep pump prices somewhat flat for the immediate future.”

For the complete report, including the latest EIA data and oil market dynamics, please visit:  https://gasprices.aaa.com/when-it-comes-to-gas-prices-may-starts-off-meh/