Tipping Points

One of the things that overseas visitors like about visiting Australia is the fact that we don’t have an ingrained culture of tipping. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for Australians travelling overseas themselves. Whilst we are used to tipping in restaurants for superior service, we are not used to minimum expected tipping levels regardless of service levels or tips for people other than waiting staff.

When we are on holiday overseas the first time most of us even think about tipping is the sudden panic when the porter has brought your bags to your room: how much do you tip him, how much foreign cash do you have, where have you put that money?

Luckily there is an easy answer to this predicament. Simply by carrying some US one dollar bills you can get around these awkward moments. They are not worth much and no matter where you are going in the world staff in the tourism industry can change up US dollars easily. The best thing to do is to buy ten or twenty one dollar bills before you leave, it won’t cost you much but will give you piece of mind – don't even think of it as money but as a travel accessory to help you overseas like a money belt or electrical adapter.

Other tipping is sometimes harder to quantify and plan for, such as the service tip in a restaurant – although 15% will usually be fine. If you are on an organised tour there will probably be tipping that is not included in the price – for drivers, tour guides and maybe even tour directors. The tips may be payable in local currency or often in US dollars and will range from five to ten dollars a day depending on who it is for. This will be listed for you in the tour documents and it’s worth looking at these before you leave. The best thing to do is work out how much you are up for, buy it and keep it aside until the last day of your tour.

Some countries have their own systems of tipping. For example in Egypt this is known as Baksheesh and goes through all layers of society. Small amounts of tipping are needed for almost everything that you do - from receiving toilet paper in the toilets to being shown a statue by a member of the tourism police. It’s best to be prepared and get hold of some Piastres (cents) when you arrive which are worth only a small amount but are fine for these sorts of tips.

In general tipping is a necessary evil overseas and by being prepared you can reduce your culture shock and blend in without looking like a super rich tourist giving exorbitant tips – either by accident or design.