Tipping can feel awkward when you’re not sure what’s expected… and let’s be honest, every country does it differently. What’s a polite gesture in one place can feel out of place in another. For UK teachers planning a school trip abroad, it’s one more grey area to navigate alongside passports, permissions, safeguarding, and scheduling. That’s why we’ve put together these practical tipping guidelines, designed specifically for school groups.
Whether you’re heading to Europe, the United States, Asia, or Africa, these tipping guidelines will help you understand local customs, manage student (and parent) expectations, and build tips into your trip budget with confidence. Think of it as your go-to resource for understanding tipping culture around the world – no awkward moments required.
Disclaimer: While we endeavor to keep this guide up to date, the advice is subject to change, and tipping varies based on many factors such as destination, duration, itinerary, level of satisfaction, and group size. Please speak to us if you have specific tipping queries for your tour.
Tipping isn’t a common practice in Iceland, and it’s certainly not expected. Service charges are usually included in restaurant bills, and locals don’t generally tip guides or drivers. That said, if your group receives particularly outstanding service, a small gesture, like a thank-you card or a thoughtful gift from the UK, can be a thoughtful alternative.
Tipping recommendations:
Tipping in France is appreciated, though not obligatory. Restaurants often include a service charge, but rounding up or leaving a few euros shows good manners.
Tipping recommendations:
Tipping in Spain and neighbouring countries isn’t enforced, but good service deserves a small thank-you.
Tipping recommendations:
Tipping in Italy is fairly relaxed, but still welcomed, especially by tour guides, coach drivers, and hotel staff working with groups. In restaurants, a service charge is sometimes included, but it’s not universal. A few extra euros for good service is always appreciated and seen as a kind gesture rather than a fixed obligation.
Tipping recommendations:
Not sure how tipping fits into your school trip planning? Let’s build a clear, simple budget together so there are no surprises later.
“Kipling organised a fantastic Classics tour, based on the teachers knowledge and previous experiences that meant students learned loads about their subject and had fun!” – Wymondham High Academy
In Germany, tipping is part of the service culture but tends to be modest and discreet. Locals usually round up the bill or add a few euros rather than calculating strict percentages. For group tours, a small tip for guides and drivers is customary and appreciated.
Tipping recommendations:
In Portugal and the Azores, tipping isn’t expected in the way it is in North America, but it’s still a courteous gesture, especially in the tourism sector. Local guides and drivers working with school groups will appreciate a small, consistent tip. In restaurants, locals often round up the bill or leave 5-10% if service was particularly good.
Tipping recommendations:
In North America, tipping isn’t just appreciated – it’s how many service workers actually make a living. For guides, drivers, and hospitality staff, tips often make up a big part of their income. In some roles, it’s not unusual for tips to account for half their wages or more.
That’s why it’s important for school groups to follow local tipping expectations. It’s part of showing respect and helps maintain good service throughout your trip.
Tipping recommendations:
Tipping at restaurants:
Kipling Tours includes restaurant gratuities in its US tour prices, but if you’ve had exceptional service, leaving a few dollars is always appreciated by your servers.
Costa Rica has a well-established tipping culture, particularly in the tourism industry. While a 10% service charge is often added in restaurants, additional tips are common and appreciated, especially by guides, drivers, and hospitality staff who rely on them as part of their income. For school groups, tipping is expected but flexible, based on the quality of service.
Tipping recommendations for a 9-day tour:
On a typical school group size of 30, this works out at $15 per person for the entire trip. Kipling Tours also includes restaurant gratuities as standard in Costa Rica trips.
Tips are simply not expected in Japan, and it may even be seen as rude to insist on giving a tip. Instead, gratitude is shown through politeness and small gifts of appreciation.
Tipping recommendations:
Tipping is increasingly common in Vietnam’s tourism sector, especially on organised group tours.
Tipping recommendations based on group size (total for both guide and driver):
Other tips to consider in Vietnam:
Every country’s tipping culture is different. Contact us for tailored advice and we’ll help you plan tips for your chosen destination.
In India, tipping is an important part of the tourism economy and is expected by those supporting your group throughout the trip. The good news? It’s easy to manage if you plan ahead. For school groups, it’s common to collect a single tipping amount from each student and hand this to your tour manager, who’ll distribute it fairly across drivers, assistants, and local guides.
Tipping recommendations (based on an 8-day trip for 25 passengers):
Tipping is part of daily life in Morocco. While the amounts are small, they’re expected across many services. Kipling Tours pre-pays all tips for accommodation, restaurants, guides, drivers, and camel leaders so schools only need to pay a tip to their tour manager.
For your tour manager, we recommend tipping £50-70 in total for a 5 day trip. If you feel your tour manager has gone above and beyond, a £100 tip would not be excessive in a country where tipping is commonplace.
We recommend putting tips into envelopes rather than making it public how much you’re tipping each individual.
Tipping recommendations where tips are not pre-paid:
For more information on tipping in Morocco, check out this detailed guide.
South Africa has a well-established tipping culture, particularly in hospitality and travel.
Tipping recommendations:
Understanding tipping practices abroad can also be a great classroom follow-up. Perfect for Citizenship or PSHE lessons around global awareness and cultural respect. While tipping etiquette around the world can feel confusing at first, being informed helps you model respect and appreciation, and that’s something students notice.
While most school tour operators (including Kipling Tours) provide clear tipping guidelines, tips are usually not included in the package price. That’s because tipping is personal. It’s about recognising good service, and it often varies by country, group size, and experience.
To keep things running smoothly, we recommend checking your itinerary and pre-departure pack to see what’s covered. If tipping isn’t included, it’s worth building it into your trip budget early. Whether you collect a small amount per student or set up a group kitty, planning ahead avoids any last-minute requests to parents and gives you one less thing to worry about during the trip itself.
“There is no better company to bespoke a trip like Kipling. We have had a long-standing relationship; working with Kipling has always been an absolute pleasure, from the initial booking process to our return to the UK.” – St John’s Beaumont School
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If you are planning a tour with us, we can arrange an inspection trip so you are able to familiarise yourself with the destination and conduct any risk assessments your school may require.
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