Guide & Tipping

• Do I have to tip in China?

  Although gratuities are not required (official announcements), and are entirely voluntary, tipping has become a common practice in China. It has become a very popular norm to tip the tour guide and driver, hotel bellboy in recognition of their good service. It is not customary to leave tips at local restaurant. Normally, you do not need to tip at hotel restaurants, as the bill includes 10% to 15% service charge.

   

  CITS does not include tipping when quoting the tour price.Please feel free to tip or not to tip and one thing is for sure that to tip or not to will not affect our guides’ performance. That is on your own recommendation.

   

  If you are travel independently, we suggest $5--$8 per guest per day as tips for tour guide and $3--$5 USD to the driver and about 1$ for hotel bellboys as a gratitude for their service when you are traveling in a small party like 2 to 5 members.

  For example, if 2 of you are traveling together in a party and will stay in Beijing for 4 days / 3 nights, for 2 of your may tip the tour guide US$40 to US$50 and US$30-US$40 for driver. But, for active tours like hiking, biking, rafting, we suggest to rise the tipping.

   

  If you are traveling in group more than 10, we recommend US$3--US$5 / per guest per day for the tour director and US$2--US$3 for the local guide in each city, $1-2 for our driver.

   

• How many hours per day will your guide be with me? How will be the guided tour itinerary arranged daily?

  Usually, the guide will ask you what’ s your preferred morning call time and set up the time to pick you up to start the tour. From then on the guide will be with until you finish the visit plan of the whole day, which ends around 5pm.

• Will a guide pick us up at the airport (or railway station)? How will I know where to find the guide when I arrive?

  Yes. Our guide will meet you in each city.

  At the airport, the guide will meet you at the airport exit. After going through the luggage claim area, you will see the guide holding a sign with your name on it. At the railway station, the guide will be on the platform right outside your rail car, holding a sign with your name on it. In certain railway stations of the border areas such as Guangzhou, however, the guide will not be able to meet you on the platform.

• Will we have a guide take us to the airport (or railway station)?

  The guide will accompany you to the airport and help you to check your luggage and get your boarding card. He is not allowed to go through the security checkpoint. If you take the train, the guide will usually see you off on the platform but there are exceptions when at the railway station in a border area, like Guangzhou.

• Do I have to tip when joining an organized tour?

  The quotation we offered doesn't include the tips for the guides and drivers. Tips are not required and are entirely voluntary. However, tipping has become a common practice in China and it has become a usual practice to tip the tour guide and driver in recognition of their good service.