When you’re on vacation, one of the best ways to get a feel for the local culture is to take a guided tour.
And when you take a guided tour, it’s customary to tip your tour guide. But how much should you tip?
And why should you tip at all?
In this blog post, we’ll answer all of your questions about tipping tour guides!
Table of Contents
What is a tour guide, and what do they do?
A tour guide is a person who leads a group of people through an area, pointing out landmarks and giving information about the history and culture of the place.
A tour guide might work for a company that provides tours, or they might be self-employed.
Tour guides usually have a lot of knowledge about the area they’re showing you, and they’re also good at keeping people entertained!
Why should you tip your tour guide?
Tour guides work hard to give you a good experience, and they don’t always get paid very well.
Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation for their work.
How much should you tip your tour guide?
10% and 20% of what the tour cost.
For example, if the tour cost $100 per person, you should tip $20.
But there are other things to consider when deciding how much to tip.
If the tour was especially long or difficult, you might want to give a larger tip.
And if the tour guide went above and beyond to make sure you had a good time, you might also want to give a larger tip.
When in doubt, it’s always better to err on the side of giving too much rather than too little.
What if you can’t afford to tip?
If you can’t afford to tip, that’s okay!
You can still show your appreciation by saying thank you.
Remember, tipping is just a way of showing your appreciation – it’s not required.
If you can, leave a review on TripAdvisor or Google Maps so other people can see what a great job your tour guide did!
What are some other ways to show appreciation to your tour guide?
In addition to tipping, there are other ways to show your appreciation for your tour guide.
You could write a positive review on TripAdvisor or Google Maps, or you could recommend the tour to your friends and family.
You could also send a thank-you note to the tour company – they’ll be sure to pass it on to your tour guide!
Tipping tour guides is a great way to show your appreciation for their hard work.
Should You Tip Tour Guides?
Yes, you should tip tour guides!
Tipping is a way of showing your appreciation for their work, and it’s customary to tip tour guides.
Tour guides usually work for a company or they might be self-employed, and they work hard to give you a good experience.
What Is the Standard for Tipping Tour Guides?
In general, the standard for tipping tour guides is 10-20% of what the tour cost.
For example, if the tour cost $100 per person, you should tip between $20.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when deciding how much to tip:
- The length of the tour
- The difficulty of the tour
- If the guide went above and beyond
- What the tour cost
In general, it’s always better to give a little more than you planned on giving.
How to Tip Tour Guide?
At the end of the tour, you can hand the guide cash or you could leave it in an envelope with a note.
If you’re leaving a tip in an envelope, you can put the money in first and then write a note saying thank you and how much you appreciated the tour.
Your guide may make a quick joke about now is the time you tip me, or they may some way to get your attention to tipping.
If that is the case, they will tell you how to Venmo or PayPal them the tip.
They may also pass around a hat, which means this is where you can put the cash for tip-in.
How Much Do You Tip a Private Tour Guide?
A private tour guide is someone who works independently and not for any particular tour company.
The standard for tipping a private tour guide is also 20% of the total cost.
For example, if your tour cost $500 for the day, you should tip $100.
As with any other type of tour guide, you can always give more or less depending on how happy you were with the tour.
Some people prefer to tip private guides in cash, but you could also Venmo or PayPal them the tip.
How Much Do You Tip a Tour Guide and Driver?
A tour guide and driver are two different people.
Your tour guide is the person who walks with you, telling you about the sights.
The driver is the person who drives the vehicle between destinations.
There are no hard and fast rules for how much to tip a tour guide and driver, but a good rule of thumb is to tip them each for about $20 per day.
Do You Tip Museum Tour Guides?
Museum tour guides do not need to be tipped.
Museums do not allow their employees to accept tips because it could be seen as a conflict of interest.
Keep in mind that this is not expected or required, and most museum guides will be happy with a simple thank you.
Do You Tip Ghost Tour Guides?
Ghost tour guides are no different than regular tour guides, and you should tip them the same amount – about 20% of the cost of the tour.
These tours can be a lot of fun, and your guide will appreciate your appreciation!
Ghost tours average around $20 dollars, so your tip should be around $5 dollars per person.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to tipping your tour guide, there are no hard and fast rules.
However, the general guideline is to tip between 10-20% of what the tour cost.
This percentage usually depends on how pleased you were with the tour.
It’s always a good idea to give more than you planned on giving, especially if your guide went above and beyond.
The bottom line is this: if you had a good time and learned something, show your appreciation with a tip!
Do you have any questions about tipping tour guides?
Let us know!
And don’t forget to check out our other blog posts for more travel tips and tricks!
