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Who are the best and worst tippers?
When it comes to tipping, the Japanese are the worst in the Asia Pacific region.
A MasterCard survey conducted with 7932 respondents aged 18 – 64 in 14 Asia/Pacific countries found only 4% of Japanese said they were accustomed to leaving a tip behind.
Thai consumers came out on top – 84% said they leave a tip – while South Korea, Taiwan and New Zealand joined Japan in propping up the table with only 10% of South Koreans, and 12% of Taiwanese and New Zealanders each claiming they tip regularly.
Other good tippers are from India (78%) and the Philippines (73%).
Forty-six percent of Australian claim they tip.
Among other countries, Myanmar (42%), Indonesia (33%), Malaysia (31%), Singapore (20%) and Vietnam (20%) were not the biggest tippers.
On average, across the region, four in 10 consumers are accustomed to leaving a tip behind after a good meal in a restaurant, while in Thailand tipping is common among 8 in 10 consumers.
Across the region, men (43%) appeared more inclined to leave behind a gratuity for service compared to women (36%).
Older consumers (above the age of 45) were generally quicker to reach for their wallets with 42% of people leaving tips behind. This was compared with 37% of people between the ages of 18 and 29.
"Tipping in Asia can be confusing because the region holds diverse views towards the practice.
"Cultural nuances can make tipping a rule of thumb in some Asian markets, while in others it can be discouraged or even considered rude," said Georgette Tan, group head, Communications, Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa, MasterCard.
The survey findings are part of MasterCard’s suite of research into Consumer Purchasing Priorities in the Asia/Pacific region.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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