Tipping Guides/Drivers in Asia

Hi all,

We have several private 2-4 person tours lined up in China, S. Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong on our upcoming cruise. I was wondering what we should tip our guides and/or drivers? Most of the tours list under "extras" gratuity but I don't know how much is appropriate?

Many thanks!

I would think that $5 - $10 per head would be enough

Thank you. This is always a point of confusion for us! :)

I don't think Japanese people tip. Can anyone verify this?

NO Tipping in Japan. Not for the bell boy, nor the taxi nor the tour-guide.

100% not needed, not expected - on the contrary seen as embarrassing!

The only exception would be in a very traditional ryokan, but even there I would never dare to do this on my own and refer to my Japanese wife....

Thank you for the information. Very helpful. :)

In Japan a couple of years ago I gave our guides a postcard from my home town as a small thank you gift. This was hugely appreciated. In fact I always take a bunch of postcards with me and hand them out along with a cash tip in tipping areas.

Great idea! Living in Orlando we sure have lots of post cards! Thank you.

Giving gifts is VERY much a part of Japanese culture but NOT giving money. If you wanted to show appreciation, bring postcards as mentioned or small, but meaningful items from where you come from - something symbolic of your country, home town or culture - sometime useful. Think of putting that $5 or $10 (or whatever) towards something purposeful in this case - maybe a CD or DVD or small picture book. Of course it has to pack/travel well but it is possible and would be greatly appreciated. It might also "be the start of a beautiful friendship." (Sorry ;) "Casablanca" was on last night!) but really, friends can often be the best souvenirs of a trip...they have been for me - I exchanged gifts for years with a friend in Kobe, Japan that I met on flight back from Tokyo!)

Enjoy your tour!

Host Bonjour

Colleen

HostBonjour@CruiseCritic.com

I don't think Japanese people tip. Can anyone verify this?

Yes, we just visited Japan last fall and it is a no tipping country.

I tried to tip the bellhop at the hotel, who refused to accept the cash. I was told by all that tipping is not done, so I didn't and it wasn't a problem.

We visited China in 2012 and did tip, modestly.

Hong Kong, I gave the taxi drivers a small tip, like rounding out the bill.

While it is no longer illegal, there is generally no tipping in China. There is a saying in China, Americans are expected to tip but service is included for others. ;-)

Seriously, the exception to no tipping seem to be tours. Some tours companies will tell you how much to tip and will even collect the money ahead of time. Not sure I call this tipping. Despite the money that you pay the tour agencies, often guides and drivers get no salary and totally depend on tipping and commissions on shopping. If you hire a private guide directly, then tipping is not required. No tipping to taxi drivers for sure and no tipping in restaurants at all. Some high end restaurants or those in hotels will often add a service charge. I wonder where that money goes.

We tipped in China. The amounts noted above are fine.

We tipped guide and also driver.

Keith

While it is no longer illegal, there is generally no tipping in China. There is a saying in China, Americans are expected to tip but service is included for others. ;-)

Seriously, the exception to no tipping seem to be tours. Some tours companies will tell you how much to tip and will even collect the money ahead of time. Not sure I call this tipping. Despite the money that you pay the tour agencies, often guides and drivers get no salary and totally depend on tipping and commissions on shopping. If you hire a private guide directly, then tipping is not required. No tipping to taxi drivers for sure and no tipping in restaurants at all. Some high end restaurants or those in hotels will often add a service charge. I wonder where that money goes.

In another life, SWMBO, was a tour leader for Chinese citizens, the person who leads a tour group for an entire itinerary. She was paid a stipend by the company for each tour plus a per person cash tip at the end and commissions from the shops. The suggested tip amount was disclosed at the time of booking. Since she led international tours at certain locales she also collected the tip for the local tour guide and driver.

The stipend she received barely covered her expenses. While her airfare & hotel room was paid by the company, she was not allowed to eat with the tour group and in some places she had to pay her own admission charges.

As far as local tipping, MIL would always leave the coins. Mainly because she didn't want a purse full of coins :rolleyes:

@philob - if a tour guide needs to pay admissions to attractions, it means that he/she is not a licensed guide.

@philob - if a tour guide needs to pay admissions to attractions, it means that he/she is not a licensed guide.

Don't know about licenses, but she did work for the GZL Travel for about 5 years, with the last 2 as a guide.

SWMBO wanted me to clarify that when she lead tours within China, no tipping was allowed and she was paid her regular salary plus her split in the shopping commissions.

When she lead tours internationally, tipping the guide was allowed. In fact prior to each tour there would be a required meeting for the travelers and they were told how much to tip pp/per day and who gets the tips.

Since she only lead Chinese tours, she doesn't know if the no tipping rule applied to foreigners or if it even applies today.

She was licensed as tour leader and tour guide, there's a difference :cool:

Yes, we just visited Japan last fall and it is a no tipping country.

 

I tried to tip the bellhop at the hotel, who refused to accept the cash. I was told by all that tipping is not done, so I didn't and it wasn't a problem.

 

We visited China in 2012 and did tip, modestly.

 

Hong Kong, I gave the taxi drivers a small tip, like rounding out the bill.

Japan and China both have no tipping culture. The difference is in China they will happily accept your tip which may double their daily salary. Acceptance does not indicate that it is necessary.