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Asia specialist ETG to sell ‘tip-inclusive’ trips
Asia specialist tour operator Experience Travel Group (ETG) has become one of the first tour operators based in the UK to include tips for guides, drivers and other in-country experience providers in the overall cost of their holidays.
The full amount will be commissionable to travel agents.
What was once a discretionary amount decided by the client will now be a fixed sum based on the length and style of trip. This sum will be automatically included in the overall cost of the holiday and split fairly between each experience provider involved locally.
If the client feels that they did not receive satisfactory service from their guides throughout the holiday, they are entitled to a full refund of the tip on their return.
Before launching, ETG interviewed a select pool of clients to understand how their audience would receive the move to tipping-inclusive holidays.
Of those interviewed, 80% supported the initiative.
ETG also put the same question to their guides across Asia and found that approximately 90% of guides were in strong support of the change as they felt it was fairer and gave them better job security.
Sam Clark, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Experience Travel Group, said, "This initiative is truly ground-breaking for the travel industry. Going ‘tip-inclusive’ is fairer for our customers and for our local employees. Our clients will receive an upfront cost that better reflects the real cost of the holiday."
Best of all, it will remove that often difficult and sometimes stressful moment when you wonder when, how and what amount should I tip this guide. We think it will give our travel agent partners a real point of difference for their clients."
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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