Dealing with Tipping When Abroad

Travel to far away, exotic lands and experience unique cultures. Sounds great, but you also have to have a handle on the day to day issues. One is whether you should tip or not and, if so, in what amounts.

As with many aspects of traveling, we first need a fall back position. If people don't understand us, we automatically start talking louder. With tipping, we need a fall back percentage. When all else fails, 15 percent is usually a good percentage.

Okay, we know how much we will use as a standard tip. Now we have to decide which party initiates the process. Do you just add the percentage to the bill or is it already included as part of the basic meal service?

Touch down and pay out. No, I am not talking about betting on football. Instead, I am referring to the airport where you will be doing your first tips if you packed heavy. Skycaps will help you move that luggage and you should pay them a few dollars.

You next tipping requirement will probably be your taxi driver. The baseline of service is the driver getting you from the airport to your hotel without any bodily injury. This deserves a tip of ten percent. You can add on for improved service.

In every movie, you see the bellhop standing awkwardly waiting for a tip for carrying bags up to the room of the movie star. So, how much are you supposed to give? A couple bucks should cover it, but more gets better service in the future.

Alas, you might be able to escape the world of tipping etiquette all together. In some countries, the culture is such that tipping is frowned upon as a matter of course. Any attempt to tip is considered an insult, so don't!

China is one of the major countries that looks down upon the act of tipping. Why do I mention this? Well, the country is going to be at the center of the tourism universe in 2008. Yep, the Olympics. Talk about a lot of tense moments.

There are other often visited countries where tipping is unnecessary. The include Russia, Switzerland and Holland in Europe. Most of the countries in Asia, including Thailand and Cambodia frown upon it as well.

At the end of the day, tipping is about respect. If someone treats you well or takes that extra step, show them respect by paying out a few bucks.