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by Sam Leaver
-1 December 2017
Blogs
Tipping when on holiday can be a minefield; is a tip expected, have you left too little, too much, who knows?
The majority of us will generally leave a tip when we receive a high standard of service, however in some countries tipping is part of the culture and not leaving one or even leaving too little is frowned upon.
This week we look at some of the most popular holiday destinations and some ‘tips on tipping’ to make sure you’re best prepared for your next trip.
Where is tipping expected?
The following countries have a very strong tipping culture and with no minimum wage staff often rely on customer tips to top up their salaries:
USA and Canada
Restaurants: 15 to 20%
Bars: $1 to $2 per drink
Hotel maid: $2 to $5 per night
Hotel porter: $1 to $2 per bag
Mexico
Restaurants: 10 to 15%
Bars: $1 to $2 per round
Hotel maid: $1 per night
Hotel porter: $1 per bag
What about Europe?
Tipping is optional in most European countries, however if you have received great service and you’d like to leave a tip it doesn’t need to be as much as in the USA and Mexico. We’d recommend the following:
Spain and the Canary Islands
Restaurants: 7 to 10%
Bars: Tipping is optional but rounding up the bill is appreciated
Hotel maid: Euro1 to Euro2 per night
Hotel porter: Euro1 per bag
Greece
Restaurants: 5 to 10%
Bars: Tipping is not required
Hotel maid: Euro1 per night
Hotel porter: Euro1 per bag
Italy and France
Restaurants: 10% service is included in most bills
Bars: Tipping is optional or automatically included in the bill
Hotel maid: Euro1 to Euro2 per night
Hotel porter: Euro1 per bag
Netherlands
Restaurants: 10% service is included in most bills
Bars: Tipping is optional
Hotel maid: Tipping is optional
Hotel porter: Tipping is optional
Other popular destinations:
Australia
Restaurants: up to 10%
Bars: Tipping is not required
Hotel maid: $2 per night (usually left at the end of your stay)
Hotel porter: $2 per bag
Thailand
Restaurants: up to 10%
Bars: Some bars will have an optional tip jar which is split between the staff
Hotel maid: 20 bahts per night
Hotel porter: 20 to 50 bahts
India
Restaurants: 7 to 10%
Bars: Tipping is not required
Hotel maid: from 20 to 250 rupees depending on your accommodation star rating
Hotel porter: 20 to 250 rupees depending on your accommodation star rating
Tunisia
Restaurants: up to 10%
Bars: 1 to 2 dinars
Hotel maid: 1 to 5 dinars
Hotel porter: 5 dinars per bag
Tipping not required
Good news, in the following countries tipping is not part of the culture and is not a requirement:
China – tipping is very rare although increasing in popularity in Hong Kong.
Japan – tipping does not exist in Japanese culture.
The Maldives – tipping is discouraged and banned at airports.
Tipping other workers
You may come across other staff who also provide an excellent service such as taxi drivers and tour guides, we would suggest rounding up the cost or leaving a small tip if you are really impressed by anyone not mentioned on our list.
Cover for your foreign currency
If you have already booked your next trip remember that Travel Insurance will cover you for loss or theft of your money whilst you’re away, as well as cancellation of your trip, medical expenses and loss or damage to your personal baggage.
Our single trip insurance policies can cover 98% of all medical conditions. To arrange your policy, get a quote online.
Alternatively, call our UK call centre (free) on 0800 294 2969 or if you have any specialist requirements – our highly trained experts will be happy to help.
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