Those 50-plus travelers planning a trip are described in a 2014 study as “the lifeblood of the travel industry.” They are responsible for almost half of all vacation expenditures. Regardless of their travel experience, they still have concerns about how much, when and whom to tip while on their trip.

Tipping (T.I.P. – To-Insure-Promptitude) dates back to 16th century England but the practices are unclear.

The standards of this practice vary by education, from country to country and by the characteristics of a region. One reason for this uncertainty is that the behavior of tipping is always changing. As a result, even the most experienced travelers may find themselves in awkward situations.

However, there is something that has remained unchanged. Whether a trip is for leisure or business, here or abroad, travelers are expected to find a lot of persons that are willing to help them, as they wend their way through hotels, airports, cruise ships or resorts, or settle charges for drinks, meals or taxis.

Josh Alexander, who works as a travel specialist at the New York City-based Protravel International, helped his clients by writing some tipping guidelines. He said that: “In my experience, no matter how much they’ve traveled, people tend to get confused and even stressed when it comes to tipping.” A Three-Step Guide to Tipping on Vacation was written by NY Times, based on Josh Alexander’s guidelines.

At Hotels, Tip Directly

Some travelers, at the end of their stay, leave at the front desk an envelope with a cash tip to be distributed amongst hotel’s employees. In Mr. Alexander’s opinion, this habit should be avoided because, as he stated, “you have no guarantee that the money is going to get to the people it should.”

The best thing to do is to tip directly the employees who have assisted you throughout your stay. Tipping is usually optional but often expected for certain types of service. The tip can vary depending on the location, but at most luxury hotels, that number is $2 to $3 for employees who hold the door open for you or call you a taxi, $3 to $5 for bellmen and $5 a day for housekeeping. The value of a tip depends on what type of assistance you need. For a dinner reservation, $5 to $10 is sufficient, but for more complicated requests such as tickets to a sold-out show, a $50 tip is to be expected.

According to the Worldwide Standard for Guides and Drivers No matter the country, you should tip $25 to $50 for an English-speaking guide who will show you the sights for a full day. Mr. Alexander said that “good guides will include atypical stops such as taking you to their personal friend’s art studio and are also willing to go over their scheduled time with you and should be tipped more.” For half-day tours, tip the drivers $10 to $15 and the guides $15 to $25.

A tour that begins very early in the morning (e.g., a hike up Mount Haleakala in Maui to see the sunrise) makes an exception. In cases like this, another $20 to $25 on top of the usual tip must be added. Also, it is expected that guides for group tours to be tipped $10 to $15.

A different category of travel includes Train Trips, Cruises and Safaris. As Mr. Alexander states, on trips such as these, you may be accompanied by a small, dedicated staff or even a single employee throughout your visit.

He said that: “on a safari, your ranger is taking you on game drives and also looking out for your needs at the lodge. And on high-end cruises and train trips, one person is usually overseeing every aspect of your trip such as helping you unpack and pack.” You can tip them $20 per day. If the trip price also includes the tips, “there is no expectation to tip extra, but you can if you feel like you got knockout service,” Mr. Alexander said.

Gratuity guide: Rules for tipping in the United States was published in March 2015 by CNN.

Be sure to contact Concierge Limousine before you consider tipping your Concierge chauffeur. You can check if a tip or gratuity has been added onto the bill. Of course, you can always choose to tip your professional chauffeur if he has exceeded your expectations.

Concierge Limousine, Inc. Chauffeurs

Concierge Limousine, Inc. guarantees that its chauffeurs have the highest standards in the ground travel industry. With an impeccable appearance, a professional conduct and a thorough geographic knowledge, each of our drivers is always ready and willing to help you. They undergo a specialized service training program to ensure a safe and comfortable trip. We also certify each driver in CPR and continue their training in ground transportation industry innovation, safety practices and service.

Our chauffeurs are local experts, well acquainted with the traffic patterns in Los Angeles and Orange County, allowing them to use the most direct routes and avoid busy traffic. They can easily identify areas of interest, retail locations, relevant buildings, streets and places to dine.

Their expertise can be critical for a traveling professional or businessperson, making them your first choice for your business trips.

Also published on Medium.