Wondering if you should tip your tour guide on your next unforgettable adventure? From our insider perspective as guides here at Taste Belize Tours in Belize, we believe its a great idea! While customs vary from country to country, in many travel destinations tips are an important source of income. Here in Belize tips are appreciated by all front line personnel working in tourism, including guides. Most travelers, especially those originating from the USA and Canada, are familiar with tipping waiters and bartenders, but not everyone thinks to tip their tour guide. Here’s why we think you should!

1. They make your trip memorable: Good guides put an incredible amount of time and energy into making unforgettable memories for you. Whether its exploring the chocolate or wine regions of the country you are visiting; going mountain climbing, diving, sailing or snorkeling; ziplining for the first time, identifying a rare bird, catching your favorite fish, or cooking an incredible local meal with the help of an experienced and passionate instructor; it is the guide that will make or break your experience. So if we did a good job, don’t hesitate to leave a gratuity AND a good review online for future travelers to find!
2. They keep you safe: In many countries (most of Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Belize, Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and Turkey and many other destinations across the world) guiding is a professional occupation and guides must be licensed AND certified in safety protocols to keep their guests safe on tour. In Belize guides must be trained and licensed by the Belize Tourism Board and certified in CPR and First Aid, with specialized guides further trained and certified as dive instructors, zip line operators, or caving specialists with additional safety protocols. All Belizean tour guides are required to pass a swim test that includes basic water rescue procedures and to submit a police record to the Belize Tourism Board once a year when renewing their tour guide license. A good tour guide makes sure that all guests are safe and having a great time. Whether you need a bottle of water so you stay hydrated, a life jacket so you can snorkel without worries, or have a food allergy that must be avoided at all costs, good tour guides pay attention to your safety and comfort throughout the tour. Going on tour with a licensed tour guide with first aid and safety training allows you to relax and enjoy your adventure knowing that you are in good hands.
3. They teach you new things: Whether its how to climb an ice wall in the Canadian Rockies, put on a snorkel mask and free dive the Belizean barrier reef, appreciate the history of a fallen civilization, make a killer pad thai, or taste the nuances of a French bordeaux, tour guides are passionate about what they do and they love sharing their knowledge and enthusiasm with you. A good tour guide will teach you new skills and knowledge that you will carry with you for the rest of your life-and we believe that’s worth a tip at the end of the day.
4. They show you the secrets: You hired a guide to talk about the history of the city you are visiting, or teach you windsurfing, or take you on a tour of their town’s Buddhist temples. By the end of the tour, you not only know some fascinating Oaxacan history, can windsurf alone for more than 30 seconds and have satiated yourself with the peace of temple space, you also have learned where to find the best homemade tacos (which was not on the TripAdvisor restaurant list you consulted earlier), which shop sells the highest quality local pottery, when the plaza art market will be open and the best place to go snorkeling tomorrow-and your guide has taken you to the very gallery door of that famous local painter that you were trying (and failing) to find. A good tour guide is a walking, talking, encyclopedia on your destination. They answer your questions, whether they have anything to do with the tour or not, anticipate your interests and share their insider knowledge with you, making your stay far more satisfying and memorable than if you had tried to figure everything out on your own. Isn’t that extra information worth a tip and a good online review? We certainly think so!
5. They give you a fresh perspective on life: Tour guides live where everyone else vacations and meet people from all over the world. Exposed to cultures and creeds from all walks of life, tour guides often develop a philosophy for living that they share with their guests while on tour. A great tour guide will give you a fresh perspective on (and appreciation for) your own life and home town just by sharing their passion for their own country and society with you.
6. They go the extra mile: Like other hospitality and tourism industry personnel, good tour guides go the extra mile, whether its taking a detour to find you the best gelato in town, tracking down prescription lens snorkeling masks so you can actually see the fish, holding the baby so you can get a selfie and some couple time, or concocting local hangover cures for you and your friends after your long night at the local bars.
7. They really appreciate it: Tour guides often work long hours in all kinds of conditions. Whether your guide is an expert on food or wine, history, mountain climbing, deep sea fishing or the ancient Maya pyramid you are standing on top of, they put a lot of physical and mental energy into their work and they really appreciate when you see the effort they put into making your vacation an incredible one. If you are lucky enough to spend time adventuring with a good tour guide, please tip them at the end of the tour and leave them a glowing review online, so more customers know to book with them.

Lyra Spang is the owner and chief tour guide at Taste Belize Tours, a tiny food and culture focused tour company located in Placencia, Belize. Click here to learn more about Taste Belize Tours.