/Take a tip from us on tipping

MORE than half of Brits are confused about tipping customs when they go travelling.

While some countries, such as the US, are famous for their tipping culture, in others it is considered almost offensive.

Now foreign currency provider, Travel Money Club has put together a guide to advise travellers if, and how much, they should consider tipping abroad.

Don Clark, founder at Travel Money Club, said: “It is often unclear whether you should tip or not whilst abroad, it is an unspoken rule and part of local customs and etiquette so no one actually tells you what is acceptable in each country. Tipping too much or in a situation where it is not expected or necessary can also mean you end up spending more than anticipated on holiday.” USA tip 20 per cent Famous for its tipping culture, when travelling to the United States a substantial tip is expected.

Restaurant waiting staff, housekeepers, taxis and tour guides will expect a ten to 20 per cent tip in addition to the normal price. Spain tip five per cent Spain doesn’t have a strong tipping culture, however tips are accepted and it is becoming more commonplace. A small gesture of €1 to €5 would be kindly received by waiting staff and tour guides. France tip ten to 15 per cent Service compris or service charge is included by law in France so tipping is not always expected.

Where it isn’t included, a tip of ten to 15 per cent is adequate for restaurant staff and a smaller tip of €1 to €5 is okay when taking a taxi or paying for drinks.

As a general rule taxi drivers would expect in the region of ten per cent of the fare. China 20 per cent tip In China, tipping is very much expected. The rise of domestic tourism and the affluent middle class means that tour guides and drivers and other tourist staff have come to expect to be generously tipped. Germany tip ten per cent Customs differ in Germany, the tip should be given directly to the member of staff not left behind.

A service charge is not included in the final restaurant bill so it comes down to customers and is usually around ten per cent of the total bill India ten to 15 per cent tip Tipping in India is very much part of the culture and everyone expects to be tipped.

For the western traveller there is a dizzying number of people needing to be tipped, and a set hierarchy of tipping amounts which can be overwhelming, even though the actual amounts are very small. If you’re travelling with a local guide it may be helpful to discuss it with them and agree how to approach rewarding each person. Australia and New Zealand five per cent tip Tipping down under is discretionary, there are no rules and it is not expected as waiting staff get paid a relatively higher wage than those in other countries.

Rounding up the bill at the bar or in a taxi is common and will be a popular and polite gesture. But the country where tipping is an absolute no-no is Japan.

Tipping in Japan is frowned upon, in fact it can be insulting, even if you feel that the level of service deserves a bonus the staff will rarely accept it.

Good service is considered part of the job so rewarding it can cause offence. However, there is an exception, tour guides often rely on tips to contribute to their wage. It is often best to discuss this discretely with the tour guide to establish a preference. Sometimes a tour guide will accept tips as ‘flower money’ so they can choose their own flowers for their home.