It’s the most awkward part of travel: Tipping. Is this a tipping culture? Is it not? Will people be offended if I don’t tip enough? Do the locals get mad when tourists tip too much? Can I ask how much an appropriate tip is? It’s uncomfortable, confusing, and because Syria is a cash-only, no international ATM society for now, it’s important to be prepared. You have to make sure you have enough cash for your entire trip! So, to alleviate some anxiety for you, I asked all the awkward questions and compiled all my notes to put together this article for you. Here is your guide to tipping in Syria!
Tour Guides
We had the most amazing tour guides on our trip, all from Syrian Guides. Our primary guide, Touleen, was with us all week and went above and beyond her guiding duties; she also helped chase, carry, and entertain my toddler daughter, Iris! We also hired Sarea as a tour guide assistant for our day trip to Maaloula. He was such a sweetheart and made sure I was able to concentrate on taking notes and remembering what I was seeing instead of corralling Iris all day. My travel companion and I wanted to make sure they were both compensated appropriately, because they were both so kind and knowledgeable.
I asked what the expectation was, and we were told that it depends on the tourist! I know, not helpful. But honestly, some tourists don’t tip at all, some tip the guide and not the driver, some tip the guide and give half the amount to the driver. It’s all over the place. It depends on where the tourist is from, so take this how you will.
General guidance on tipping tour guides: $20-$30 USD per guide, per day.
More here: Is it Safe to Visit Syria?
Drivers
Our driver, again booked through Syrian Guides, was fantastic. I definitely didn’t want to have to drive myself in Syria! Khalid was skilled, spoke great English (not always expected or required for drivers), and also went over and above to be sweet to Iris. We didn’t use the car every day, but he let me leave the car seat in the car even on the days we didn’t drive anywhere. He was always on-time picking us up, prompt in dropping us off, and got us safely from Point A to Point B every time.
General guidance on tipping drivers: $15-$25 USD per day.
Keep reading: What to Know Before Your First Trip to Syria
Hotel Porters and Housekeeping
Hotel staff in Syria were so kind to us. Everyone had a smile for Iris, everyone was glad to have tourists staying with them. Porters toted our luggage up steps for us, housekeeping kept us stocked with water and toiletries, and we had positive stays at all of our hotels. You can tip in US dollars (USD) or Syrian pounds (SYP), whichever you’d prefer.
General guidance on tipping hotel porters: $1-$2 (120-250 SYP) per bag.
General guidance on tipping hotel housekeeping: $3-$5 (350-600 SYP) per day.
Also helpful: Should You Buy an Airplane Seat for Your Baby
Restaurants
I had some of the best food in the world in Syria. We were so pleasantly surprised! Portions were huge, menu options were vast, and everything was fresh, local, and beautiful. Waitstaff were all pleasant, and more often than not, we got a little something extra wherever we ate; sometimes it was juice, sometimes a sweet, and sometimes extra crackers and dips for the table. I love going out to eat in Syria. I will dream about Syrian food until I return.
General guidance on tipping at restaurants: 5%-10% of the check total.
Keep eating: The Best Food We Ate in Syria
Toilet Attendants
This is one you may not be expecting if you haven’t traveled much in the Middle East. Public toilets are free to use, but toilet attendants expect a tip. Not for nothing, however. They do usually offer tissues (take them–it’s your toilet paper), and they are the toilet and restroom cleaners as needed. Don’t go to the bathroom without a few Syrian pounds in your pocket.
General guidance on tipping toilet attendants: 50-100 SYP (40 US cents) per toilet use.
More here: The Best Solid Toiletries for Travel
