An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Africa and the Middle East

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Learn about the tipping customs of popular tourist destinations in An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Africa and the Middle East.

It’s time for this month’s installment of the tipping guides’ series. An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Africa and the Middle East is the third post in this series. We’re covering popular tourist destinations in these two regions.

It’s important to research gratuity customs when traveling to these two parts of the world. They can vary greatly by country. You can’t always rely on the “Do as the locals do” approach. Tipping may not be expected of the locals but is expected of the tourists. This is especially true in Africa.

If you’re in Africa for a safari, you’ll want to check with your tour operator on tipping guidelines. Many hotel employees’ wages are low and the bulk of their income comes from tips.

Egypt

Dining: A service charge is added that goes to the restaurant, tip 10% for the server.

Hotel: Tips three to five Egyptian pounds per bag to porters and five to ten pounds per night for housekeeping.

Taxis: Do not tip your driver instead you will negotiate a rate with the driver before the trip.

Kenya

Dining: A 10% tip is standard, just make sure to hand the tip to the server directly.

Hotel: Have cash on hand to tip housekeeping and porters.

Taxis: Rounding up the fare is appreciated.

Madagascar

Dining: Tip 10% for good service when a service charge is not included in the bill.

Hotel: Tip two thousand ariary per bag for porters and two thousand ariar per day for housekeeping.

Taxi: Tip is not necessary but rounding up the fare is appreciated.

Morocco

Dining: Tip 10 – 15% for good service.

Hotel: Have cash on hand to tip housekeeping and porters. Tip ten to twenty dirhams per bag and leave twenty dirhams per day for housekeeping.

Taxis: Rounding up the fare is appreciated.

South Africa 

Dining: Tip 10% to 20% for good service.

Hotel: Have cash on hand to tip housekeeping and porters. Give porters ten rand per bag. If a service charge is included in the hotel bill, know that there’s a good chance the staff will not see that money. Leave housekeeping tips in the room or give it to the attendant directly. Ten to fifteen rand per night is a standard tip.

Taxis: Tip drivers 10%.

Tanzania

Dining: Tip 5% for good service.

Hotel: Have cash on hand to tip housekeeping and porters as long as it falls within the hotel’s policies. Sometimes there is a designated tip box, otherwise, give cash directly only for good service. One to two dollars per bag for bellboys and two to four dollars per night for housekeeping.

Taxis: Round up, tip up to 10% for exceptional service.

The Middle East

Tipping customs vary throughout the Middle East and it is wise to research your destination thoroughly before departure. In some countries, gratuity is the service workers main source of income while in others it may just be supplemental.

Israel 

Dining: Tip 10 – 15% in cash for good service.

Hotel: Tip five new shekels per bag for porters and five to ten new shekels per day for housekeeping. It’s best to tip a little bit more your first day to ensure excellent service. Tip 5% for room service if a charge is not included in the bill.

Taxi: Tip is not necessary but rounding up the fare is appreciated.

Jordan 

Dining: Give a 5% to 10% tip in addition to the service charge.

Hotel: A 10% charge will likely be included in the bill. It is still expected to tip for the service you receive. Porters should be given one to two dinars per bag. Housekeeping should receive two dinars per day. Room service should receive two to five dinars. The concierge should be tipped five to twenty dinars depending on service received.

Taxis: Round up the fare.

Saudi Arabia

Dining: Tip 10 – 15% for good service when a service charge is not included in the bill.

Hotel: Tip the currency equivalent of $1 per bag for porters and $2 per day for housekeeping. When tipping your housekeeper make sure to leave the money on the bed or the nightstand, preferably in an envelope.

Taxi: A tip of 10% is customary in Saudi Arabia.

United Arab Emirates

In Dubai, tipping customs vary but many hotels and restaurants do add service charges. Unfortunately, it does not necessarily mean that the service workers you encounter will receive any of it. It’s good to add an additional tip to the service charge.

Dining: Give a 10 – 12% tip in addition to the service charge. If you go into a bar, do not tip the barman, it is not expected.

Hotel: A 10 – 15% charge will likely be included in the bill. It is still expected to tip for the service you receive. Porters should be given five to ten dirham. Housekeeping should receive twenty to thirty dirham for the total stay if not per day (5 – 8 USD).

Taxis: Round up the fare.

Qatar

Dining: Give a 10 – 15% tip in addition to the service charge.

Hotel: Tip porters ten to twenty riyals ($2-$3) and the same per day for housekeeping.

Taxis: Tip taxi drivers five to ten riyals.

I hope An International Traveler’s Guide to Tipping: Africa and the Middle East shed some light on the various gratuity customs in those two regions of the world. Next month I will be sharing with you the fourth and final installment of this series. I will give you the differing tipping customs of Asia and the Pacific.

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