Tour Manager Tips

I don’t have a problem with tipping as long as I know who it is going to and I am happy with the service.
We don’t usually go on tours, but 2 years ago we went on a far East tour because we knew the language barrier would be difficult. I asked the tour operator about the tipping custom before we went and was told tipping was acceptable and up to the individual.
We were met at the airport by the guide, who was local and demanded the equivalent of £150 per person for tips. There were 20 couples on the tour. Most people paid up without a murmur, so it was difficult to refuse even though it did not sit right with us.
The country was a very poor one and our £300 contribution was more than a month’s wages. However, somebody ( not us) contacted the tour operator and half way through the trip we were given £120 per couple back.

It's their job. The company who employs them should pay them properly.

Tour managers are not on holiday. They have to make sure the coach is there, all the bookings are made. They have to deal with people who are ill or who have mislaid belongings not to mention people complaining or who are simply home sick. They do a lot of work behind the scenes.

Depending where you are, the tour manager does a lot of ‘hidden’ work. For example, one we had, took tea with a homesick traveller everyday. Another escorted us to the ATM (in India). In Portugal recently, he had suggestions for restaurants every day and arranged an extra for us - a boat trip. They really aren’t on holiday. I have seen them deal with lost passports, someone who fell in the bedroom and broke her leg and mugging.

I'm not embarrassed about tipping (when deserved) or not tipping.

Aveline

I am extremely bothered about having to fork out an extra £140! I wonder how many people actually follow the 'guide' on how much to pay?
I remon one cruise tips were automatically added to onboard accounts unless requested not to. The queue of Brits at the pursers requiring the removal of tips was miles long. I think cruise companies have twigged that Brits and Aussies are not keen tippers as several companies now do not require them.

Sorry - I was making two separate points there .

1 - £5 ok/£140 less ok

2 - I find individual tips embarrassing, but communal envelopes less so.

As you were 😎

Remember

I am extremely bothered about having to fork out an extra £140! I wonder how many people actually follow the 'guide' on how much to pay?
I remon one cruise tips were automatically added to onboard accounts unless requested not to. The queue of Brits at the pursers requiring the removal of tips was miles long. I think cruise companies have twigged that Brits and Aussies are not keen tippers as several companies now do not require them.

Aveline

£5 per passenger person per day? Really?

I suppose it depends on how long the trip is for. £5 for a day trip is good, but £140 for a couple going for a fortnight is a lot. I find individual tipping embarrassing, but am less bothered about putting money in a collective envelope.

I also feel that DH and I are easy passengers for any tour manager.

We are always on time in the mornings and at pick up times.

We don’t make a fuss about seats, rooms, meals etc. We follow any guidance or ‘rules’ that they give.

If all the passengers were like us, they have a fairly straightforward job.

Also reflected in the tip.

£5 per passenger person per day? Really?

I think £5pp is reasonable if the guide has done his or her job well. I wouldn’t work out what they would get from other passengers- apart from anything else the more passengers the harder the job - I would pay what I thought fair as a tip from me. What others do is up to them.

What do people tip on "ordinary" cruises I wonder?

So €542 (ish) each for a week - 77 a day.

Just back from a yacht cruise of 38 passengers where the suggested tip was €100 each per week to be divided between crew of 7. Then additional tip (can't remember what was suggested) for the tour manager.

Do you know if they tipped them? Ilovedogs?

Ohh, going slightly off track, I would love to be a tour guide.
We had some wonderful ones when we went on hols with our parents. Happy days. 😊

Grannyjacq1 I think they might have a "sleeping nights" rate of a few pounds if not woken to deal with anything.

Only guessing of course!

I think in hospitality there are often tips.

And I'd tip serving staff in a restaurant, porter / maid in a hotel, a bartender, taxi driver or shoe-shine person (if there was one).

I have tipped a concierge in the past when he was really helpful and also once tipped the guy on the door when we left a hotel as he was relentlessly cheerful and "made my day", every day.

I have also been back to shops later with small thank-yous.
Small bunch of flowers to a fabric shop, biscuits to a tailor, huge box of very lovely different hand creams to an ICU ward staff, basket of fruit to university technicians...

Sometimes it's really lovely to let people know you appreciate them.

If you don't feel able to tip for financial reasons you could write him/her a very nice note about their skills and how they added to your happiness over the trip?
It's always lovely to receive some thoughtful words.

(One of my sons tips just about everyone it seems to me... and is very generous. - but I'm not sure he really thinks deeply about it at all!)

I don't often give tips. I'm not tight but in 40 years of working I was never given a tip for getting a letter typed and sent out quickly, or for making sure the filing was up to date so that client information was availablewhen needed, or ensuring my boss attended an important meeting that I had spent several days trying to coordinate. If a service is excegood I might leave something.

But why tip at all when they are doing the job they are employed (and paid) to do ?

Elowen33

You do realise that the tip quoted was £5-£7 per person per day? Not just £5.
.

I've never been on a tour trip so no experience but for a 5 day trip in the UK I would have thought £10 for the guide and the same for the driver. If either were exceptionally good then I would give £20.
If the trip was abroad or in a particularly 'difficult' country then I would tip much more.
Perhaps I'm just cheap.

NotSpaghetti

I've just looked up what tour guide jobs are paying at the moment - here's so info for jobs advertised today:

£12.21 an hour for a Friday Saturday Sunday job

Another one - Part-time. Pay: £12.21 per hour

Another - 10 – 20 hours per week £12.21 per hour

Part time driver and guide £15

Experienced and customer-focused  PCV Driver-Guides  (PVC D or D1) £35,000 -£45,000 pa then small print "part time", 0 hours contract

One specifically mentions "Tips" as a perk and offers a full week of driving but you need to train ip to drive and guide.
You can have fixed hours, or, For those who prefer to earn higher wages by working more and flexible days, these is also a banked hours scheme which can be signed up to.
Pay £14.50 per hour.

Thanks - that's really useful. I wonder if guides get paid for 24 hour days if they are permanently 'on call' during the time they are with the group? I think coach drivers these days definitely deserve a tip!

I've just looked up what tour guide jobs are paying at the moment - here's so info for jobs advertised today:

£12.21 an hour for a Friday Saturday Sunday job

Another one - Part-time. Pay: £12.21 per hour

Another - 10 – 20 hours per week £12.21 per hour

Part time driver and guide £15

Experienced and customer-focused  PCV Driver-Guides  (PVC D or D1) £35,000 -£45,000 pa then small print "part time", 0 hours contract

One specifically mentions "Tips" as a perk and offers a full week of driving but you need to train ip to drive and guide.
You can have fixed hours, or, For those who prefer to earn higher wages by working more and flexible days, these is also a banked hours scheme which can be signed up to.
Pay £14.50 per hour.