18 Things Tour Guides Are Too Polite to Tell You

Tour guides are essentially vacation sages. These wise leaders spend their days informing travelers of all the hidden gems of a particular locale, unlocking the history, landmarks, culture and customs that might be overlooked by even the most curious of visitors. While communication is a must for these tourism pros, it turns out there are some things tour guides have been too polite to say out loud. We've got the scoop on major etiquette questions (including whether or not they expect a tip) and more.

Like any professional in the service industry, travel guides know it's on them to be courteous, kind and approachable if they want to make it in this business. When it comes to travelers, however, some seem to have missed the memo on returning that kindness. Throwing shade, ignoring your tour guide or just having a bad attitude are totally unnecessary and just make things uncomfortable for everyone.

Tour guides don't want to make you mad, but they also don't want to be your personal photographer at every cool landmark or Instagram-worthy location you see. Imagine if you were responsible for a group and at every spot, all of them wanted you to take their picture. Not only does it eat up valuable tour time, it also adds to their stress level. If they say yes to you, they've got to say yes to everyone else, too. In other words: Bring a selfie stick, and leave your tour guide alone.

We're not talking about child care here, rather, about babysitting adults on the tour who wander off and don't pay attention. Tour guides are leading groups, often through completely new destinations and sharing their wealth of knowledge about particular landmarks and cultural customs. Please don't also make them frantic by walking off and getting lost instead of sticking with the group.

If you've ever wondered if you're supposed to tip your tour guide, the answer is YES. While these tourism professionals aren't going to berate travelers for not tipping, it's considered highly rude to not offer some form of gratuity. While "thank you" and "you're a great tour guide" are infinitely appreciated, a tip of 15 percent to 20 percent of the total cost of the tour is an even more meaningful way to get the sentiment across.

When you do tip, make sure you're using local currency. One of the most annoying things tour guides have to deal with is inconsiderate travelers (particularly those who are visiting multiple destinations on a cruise) who tip with foreign currency. Not only will they incur a fee for exchanging the money to local currency, but they could also lose more money based on the exchange rate. Be a thoughtful traveler and have the correct currency available when you tip.

Yes, it's really cool that you know a lot about a destination you're visiting, but if you're on a tour, don't try to outshine your guide while they're talking to the group. It makes you look like a total show-off, which, let's be real, is annoying to everyone but you. If a guide mistakenly gives the wrong information on a tour and you know it, simply pull them aside and let them know so they can fix it. If you think you know more and can do better, organize your own tour group. Don't undermine theirs.

Travelers, listen up: No matter what it is you need to say (unless it involves a life or death emergency), don't interrupt your tour guide. All too often travelers think it's acceptable to cut off their guide to ask random questions, crack jokes or redirect the conversation, much to everyone's annoyance. Just as when you were in school, raise your hand if you've got a question or comment, and wait for your guide to finish speaking before you start talking.

Every tour has one and guides are really tired of pretending they're funny. To the traveler who thinks acting like a fool, cracking jokes while they're talking or (even worse) pulling pranks while on a tour is cool, news flash: It's not. Not only is it annoying and disruptive to the tour, it can also potentially cause problems with local authorities who don't have the same sense of humor.

Tours can run anywhere from one hour to several days long. Tour guides use that time to convey the most important and interesting information to you as possible. While it's every traveler's right to tune out, look at their phone or quietly chat with their friends or family, it's not OK for them to then ask the tour guide to repeat themselves, wasting everyone else's time. Paying attention when tour guides talk isn't just respectful, it's also how travelers can get the most out of their trip.

Generally speaking, before you embark on a tour, your guide will inform you of what to expect so you can be prepared. If you choose to ignore those suggestions and arrive at your tour inappropriately dressed, with the wrong footwear or without necessary supplies, that's not the tour guide's fault. You're expected to know how to dress and what to carry in order to have an enjoyable tour. If you truly don't know, reach out to the guide before the tour begins so you can arrive ready to go.

No tour guide is going to tell you that your child is ruining the tour, but trust us, they're thinking it. While it's hard to predict when a child will have a meltdown (we're parents, we get it), it's also a major distraction for other paying travelers. If your child is showing signs of fatigue or frustration before you leave, opt out and wait for a time when they're more capable of handling an outing. If they're misbehaving on the tour, head back to the bus or an agreed-upon meeting space until your child has calmed down.

Tour guides have very little control over what happens during a tour. Itineraries are set with the hope that everything goes according to plan. What they can't change are unplanned events or tragedies that interrupt your tour schedule. In many cases, guides will try to initiate an alternative plan to keep visitors happy, but they need our cooperation. Understand that even the best guides experience occasional problems, and getting upset about it won't do anything to make things better.

Unless you've booked a luxury excursion, chances are you're going to be uncomfortable at some point on your tour. Whether it's physical discomfort or emotional and mental discomfort from having to step outside your normal boundaries to see and learn about the world, discomfort isn't a sign of a bad tour, but rather, a challenge you've yet to overcome. Embrace the occasional discomfort and open yourself to experiencing life in new ways. You'll enjoy the tour more and your tour guide will enjoy you, too.

Unless you've hired a tour guide for a private tour, you're going to have to deal with the fact that there are other people along for the ride. Adopting a group mentality goes a long way toward making the tour more enjoyable for everyone. Want individual attention? Pay more money for a solo tour. Otherwise, please don't expect your guide to give you a personalized tour experience.

Do you know what a tour guide is thinking when someone in their group constantly complains? "Why are you even here?" Being vocal about your dislike, discomfort or otherwise negative attitude casts a shadow over your tour and can ruin it for everyone. If you're having a bad day, consider rescheduling your tour, or keep a lid on it. Unless something's truly wrong, your guide expects you to be mature and polite during the tour.

There's a fine line between engaging with your tour guide (which they love) and continually piping in to ask random, out-of-the-box questions that add no benefit whatsoever to the tour. If your guide is explaining the history of the Roman Empire and you want to know if Julius Caesar created Caesar salads, then consider yourself guilty of this faux pas. Try to focus your comments and questions on the actual tour without diverting the conversation.

Whenever anyone travels, they should be mindful of the customs and culture of the location they're visiting. Tourism on its own contributes to the erosion of historical places, but bad behavior from tourists can make things even worse. Littering, acting inappropriately and not following rules leaves tour guides frustrated and at risk of losing access to certain locations. Learn what is considered appropriate behavior in the areas you're visiting, and do everything you can to be courteous and respectful while there.

Like anyone else on the job, tour guides look forward to calling it a day and having personal time to themselves. It's incredibly frustrating, then, when travelers keep guides on the clock past closing. When the tour ends, it's not the time to follow up with your guide on all the questions you thought of during the day nor engage them in a personal discussion about your life, experiences and ideas. Unless your guide suggests getting together after hours, don't hold them captive with your sudden need for conversation.