Tipping Guides

[lost*in*cyberspace]

My husband and I are sending some family members on an ABD trip to Europe this summer. I would like to send money to tip the guides so they don't have that expense. I know the suggested tip is $9-11 per day per person. I have read that one guide is usually a local and one is from the US. Should I provide Euros and US dollars, or is it okay to just send dollars? I have Euros, so getting them is not an issue. I was just wondering if guides prefer being tipped in their own currency. Please share your personal experiences. Thanks!

 

[sayhello]

My husband and I are sending some family members on an ABD trip to Europe this summer. I would like to send money to tip the guides so they don't have that expense. I know the suggested tip is $9-11 per day per person. I have read that one guide is usually a local and one is from the US. Should I provide Euros and US dollars, or is it okay to just send dollars? I have Euros, so getting them is not an issue. I was just wondering if guides prefer being tipped in their own currency. Please share your personal experiences. Thanks!

In my experience, the locally-based Adventure Guide will prefer getting local currency so that they don't have to get it converted. For the US-based Adventure Guide, it really depends. If they're going to be in the location for a while, they're OK with local currency, but if they're heading home, US currency is best. But all that said, the Guides will happily accept whichever cash currency you give them. I keep hoping more will accept things like Paypal and Venmo. But currently, you don't know that kind of thing until you get there & ask the Guides.

Sayhello

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thanks!

 

[NashSmartGuy]

I'd also add that some guides accept gratuities through payment apps, like PayPal, Venmo, or ApplePay. Just ask your guides. This makes providing the gratuities much easier, and you don't have to carry extra cash or find an ATM on the last day of your Adventure.

 

[lucky1]

I'd also add that some guides accept gratuities through payment apps, like PayPal, Venmo, or ApplePay. Just ask your guides. This makes providing the gratuities much easier, and you don't have to carry extra cash or find an ATM on the last day of your Adventure.

Unfortunately you don't know that until you meet your guides. Which means you may have already got the cash prepared. I know our first ABD, we thought both of our guides would be local and so we prepared with extra local currency, then they were both US citizens and one of them returning with us to the US. They did mention they could accept currency in either form, but could not accept Paypal. Somehow I wish they were better on communicating this prior to departing on your trip