 Tipping
requires more than cash and generosity; a modicum of
research is essential for travelers to know exactly
who deserves a tip and how much to give. Generous
travelers shouldn't hand out gratuities like
Halloween candy to cover their bases. In some
countries -- like Japan, where giving someone a wad
of cash is often considered rude -- tipping can be
an insult. On the other side of the coin, traveling
tightwads shouldn't try to save money by stiffing
their service person, because millions of waiters,
bellmen, tour guides and other workers in the
tourist trade rely on tips to feed their families
and pay the rent.
The happy medium between spendthrift and scrooge is
a well-informed traveler! Below, we've listed some
solid-gold tips for handling the tricky practice of
tipping in a foreign country with often different
and sometimes confusing customs and codes of
behavior. Take our advice and tip wisely...
Know Before You Go
Here's the most important tipping tip you need:
destination-specific tipping information is vital if
you want to avoid an awkward or offensive encounter
with a service person during your trip. Magellan's
offers a useful
Worldwide Tipping Guide that summarizes
acceptable tips in other countries in a convenient
chart.
You'll also want to pore over a good guidebook for
more detailed information on local tipping
practices; this way you won't be caught off guard
when the colorfully dressed musicians in Marrakesh's
Jemma el-Fna square want a few dirhams for letting
you snap their picture, and you'll know not to leave
a tip at that trendy restaurant in New Zealand.
Cover Your Bases
Whom you should tip (as well as how much you should
give and how often) varies by destination. But
here's a list of the types of folks you may have to
present with some extra euros or pesos when you're
jetsetting around the globe. Yes, the list is long,
but remember that you will probably not need all of
these services on a single getaway (unless you have
some kind of elaborate around-the-world spa and boat
trip planned -- in which case we're jealous!).
Waitstaff
Hotel cleaning staff
Porter
Bellhop
Taxi/van driver
Tour guide
Concierge
Restroom attendant
Local who is posing for a photograph
Bartender
Tour boat captain and staff
Maitre'd
Childcare staff/day camp counselor
Hairdresser/masseuse/manicurist
 Carry
Cash
If you're taking a cab or shuttle from the airport
to your hotel, in most countries you'll have to tip.
This means that you will need some local currency
almost as soon as you get off your plane. Although
some countries, like many Caribbean destinations,
accept U.S. dollars in addition to their own local
currency, it's important not to tip in dollars if
it's not an accepted national currency.
Most airports have
ATM's and
exchange rate counters -- even if you're not
planning on exchanging all of your money at the
airport, you need to get enough local currency to
cover your tips before you get in that cab. Contact
your airport before you leave to find out what
banking or money exchange facilities they offer.
Make sure you have plenty of small bills on hand
throughout your trip, too. Use larger bills to pay
for souvenirs, meals and other expenses, and keep
the change to use as tips. If you run out of small
bills, your hotel's front desk may be able to make
change for you.
Follow the Leader
If you forget to research the acceptable tipping
practices of your locale, or simply don't know what
to do, look around and see what other visitors are
doing. Is there money on the empty tables in your
restaurant? Did everyone else on your boating
excursion offer the captain and crew a few dollars?
You get the idea.
If that doesn't work, here's a basic, common-sense
rule of thumb: tip 5 to 10 percent, or a few dollars
(in the local currency), to anyone who is providing
you with a service -- like arranging an excursion
with a tour company, bringing you a meal, or handing
you some mints and a warm towel in the bathroom --
when you are visiting a country where tipping is
generally an accepted practice.
Don't Ask
A common mistake made by travelers is asking their
service person if he or she requires a tip. Not only
does this present a conflict of interest to a
cash-strapped service person who doesn't normally
take tips, but in countries where saying what you
mean is not the social norm, a clueless traveler may
end up stiffing a polite waiter or bellhop. For
example, in India, a service person whose income is
mostly comprised of tips may say that he or she
requires no gratuity out of modesty and good
manners. This doesn't mean you shouldn't tip if it's
the acceptable practice in your destination! Know
before you go (see above) and you won't have to ask.
 Beware
of Service Charges
You may think that a "service charge" on your
restaurant bill indicates that the tip is included.
This is true for most countries; for others, not so
much. In destinations such as Greece, Guatemala,
Italy and Hong Kong, you should leave a tip in
addition to a service charge. This is because the
service charge may not necessarily go to the waiter
-- and your tips make up a significant percentage of
your server's salary.
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