We hired a local tour guide for a personal three hour tour. We reached out directly to the guide and are paying them in euros after the tour. I assume the guide gets the full amount because there isn't a tour company but should we still tip on top of payment for tour? We are also doing a tapas tour through a company and in that case I plan to directly tip our personal guide because tour payment went through the company.
Thanks!
I was really hoping for a few replies on this question because Im debating the same thing.
Since a private guide is usually charging about 50-75 or more an hour and self-employed, we don't tip. We do tip group guides who are hired piecemeal by tour companies. Others may handle it differently.
In Spain in 2021, I hired private guides for three separate half-day walking tours in Toledo, Segovia, and Madrid respectively. Two guides were self-employed; one worked for another guide’s company. None of them expected a tip (in fact, the guide “employee” made it clear that I had paid fairly for her time).
Guides do not ever expect tips for a private tour, but it is always a nice gesture. It doesn't need to be a lot. But if they really went out of their way, researching a special topic for you, going an extra step to make your tour special, giving them an extra 10€ is ok. Or at least buy them a coffee, cake or lunch.
