The debate over whether tour guides should accept tips has been ongoing for a long time. Logically speaking, tour guiding is part of the service industry, and it’s normal in the service sector to receive tips in return for satisfactory service—especially abroad, where tipping service workers has become a cultural norm.
But others argue that tour guides already receive compensation for leading tours, and the claim of low pay is not a valid reason for them to solicit tips, let alone force tourists to shop at designated spots. Doing so would only encourage tour guides to focus excessively on money, ultimately reducing service quality. Moreover, many believe that since tour guides are already underpaid, it’s only reasonable for tourists to give tips when guides provide warm and attentive service. In fact, when guides receive tips and feel their efforts are appreciated, they are more motivated to deliver even better service, which enhances the overall experience for travelers. So why not allow it?
Whether tour guides should accept tips is a controversial topic, with both sides holding firm opinions. The root cause of this debate can be attributed to the chaotic compensation system for tour guides, leaving many with “no base salary, no security, no dignity, and no official status,” forcing them to rely on commissions from tourist shopping for income. When shopping commissions gradually become the main source of income for some guides, forced shopping becomes a vicious cycle and an unspoken rule in the tourism industry. This severely damages the travel experience, hinders the long-term development of the tourism sector, and leads to numerous disputes and issues.
It is against this backdrop that some regions and companies have begun exploring the establishment of a tipping system within the tourism industry, hoping that voluntary tips from tourists can create a virtuous cycle where guides provide better service and visitors enjoy a better experience. While the intention is commendable, a tipping system designed primarily to solve the income issue of guides is unlikely to yield sweet results through coercion. As a result, the question of whether guides should accept tips has intensified, and without a proper resolution to the compensation system, related tipping issues remain unresolved.
Relevant national authorities once issued a “guidance opinion” attempting to legitimize what had long been considered gray income—tour guide tips. In 2015, the China National Tourism Administration and two other ministries jointly released the “Guiding Opinions on Further Strengthening the Protection of Tour Guides’ Labor Rights and Interests,” which, for the first time at the national level, affirmed and supported the promotion of a tour guide compensation system. It explicitly stated, “Travel agencies should explore establishing a reward mechanism for tour guides based on high-quality service, voluntarily paid by tourists.” However, the outcome was less than ideal.
Therefore, opinions vary widely on whether tips should be given, how they should be given, and how much.
Tour Guide Xiao Zhou, “I’ve been a tour guide for five years, and I feel there’s a huge imbalance between the effort we put in and the compensation we receive. Legalizing tips could make them a fixed part of our income, narrowing the gap between effort and reward. Receiving tips is also a form of recognition and encouragement for our work, which is very positive. Legalizing tips could also attract more talent to the profession, benefiting the entire tourism industry.”
Tourist Mr. Xiao,, “Many media outlets report that tour guides have low salaries and meager incomes, but the root cause lies in the unreasonable compensation system. This requires internal reforms within the tourism market—for example, travel agencies should sacrifice some of their profits to subsidize guides’ tour-leading fees, instead of making consumers pay extra after already covering the tour package. Frankly, this just shifts the responsibility that should be borne by travel agencies onto us travelers. Another concern I have is that if some people in the same tour group tip while others don’t, guides won’t necessarily improve service quality for everyone just because a few have paid tips. On the contrary, some may become resentful or biased, creating an unpleasant atmosphere during the trip.”
900Tour Platform Head,, “Currently, the tourism industry is rife with chaos. The vicious price competition among travel agencies forces operators to profit only through tourist shopping or even forced shopping. An irrational tour guide commission system forces guides to rely on high kickbacks for income. Weak oversight allows the hidden kickback schemes behind shopping tours to persist unchecked. Some travel agencies even set their own rules where guides receive no tour salary or subsidies, and may even have to pay a headcount fee. Their main income comes from commissions on shopping or optional activities. These practices turn guides into salespeople, trapping tourists in a scheme of low tour fees but high shopping costs. As an independent and impartial third-party comprehensive service platform for guides (and tour leaders), 900 Tour believes that legalizing tips could moderately increase guides’ income and ease the tensions between guides, tourists, and agencies. This would help improve the current order in China’s tourism market and contribute positively to raising service standards. Of course, all of this is predicated on guides actually providing high-quality and satisfying service, with tips given voluntarily by tourists. Just like the tipping feature in the platform’s electronic reviews: after giving an honest review of a guide via mobile phone, if you’re very satisfied with the service, you can directly tip the guide on the page as a token of appreciation and recognition.”
Therefore, if the tourism industry wants healthy development, tourists seek high-quality service, and this becomes a sustainable virtuous cycle, then implementing a tipping culture seems inevitable. Only by establishing a tipping system can the compensation structure for tour guides be improved and service quality enhanced. Moreover, tipping systems have been internationally proven to be effective. With China’s tourism industry growing rapidly, tipping culture must align with international practices. By finding a tipping model suitable for China’s guides through practice, solutions like 900 Tour’s mobile review and online tipping features may offer a viable path forward.