I have a question on how much to tip tour guides in Europe.
We have a couple of private all day tours in Lisbon and Alsace region of France, then a few others that are at most half a day with a group in Lisbon and Barcelona.
Any guidance?
Posted by
Vancouver, BC, Canada
1208 posts
My guidance: you don't have to, but you can if you want to.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
13991 posts
To me it depends on the company. If it's a guide with their own tour company in Europe, I figure they have set their prices to include a profit margin and I don't tip. If it's someone working for another company, I might tip a small amount based on their knowledge.
Posted by
Snohomish, WA
2050 posts
For me, it depends on the countries culture as far as tipping. If it is a no tip culture, I do not tip. I do not subscribe to the "I just can't not tip" thinking, mostly because when I have asked locals they have specifically stated they do not want that culture brought to their country. If it is a tipping culture, then I go with that and keep the amount to what is normal there, not what we do here at home.
Posted by
Magyarország / Rep of Texas
18022 posts
Portugal isnt a tipping culture. They pay a iving wage. The minimum wage is about $900 a month and Lisbon is about 20% cheaper to live in than Kansas City, MO.
Posted by
San Francisco
14540 posts
Whether it is a tour guide in a museum, chateau, Schloss, or on a walking tour , bus or harbour/river cruise, that guide can rightly expect a tip from me at the end , unless the person was just "bad" period.
Posted by
Fredericksburg, VA
237 posts
And people wonder why European businesses have now added a tip option to their bills for US customers.