💰 Don’t Just Check In. Chip In! – Pipeaway Newsletter #177

Hi from Makarska Riviera!

It seems I’ll spend at least part of my summer here, on the Dalmatian coast, under the majestic peaks of Biokovo Mountain, and in front of some of Croatia‘s finest beaches.

However, I didn’t come here just to switch off and relax, or to hike a mountain in flip-flops (which became a standard no-go scene in local travel safety marketing memes). I’ve arrived at this pretty stretch of the Adriatic coast – to work.

It’s not the first time I’m taking on a summer vacancy instead of a summer vacation, though. A few seasons ago, I started with waiting tables, a job that sometimes required the flexibility of a French contortionist.

This summer, I’ve accepted a new challenge – how to make my wallet happy with one of the most underpaid jobs in the Croatian hospitality industry?

For the hottest Croatian months, just across Hvar, the sunniest European island, I’ll be grinding hard as a bellboy or a porter.

That’s right, if you check in at this adults-only hotel this summer, it will be me assisting you with your luggage, showing you the room, and generally providing customer service at the front desk.

I see the job as just another adventure. It might inform me on the previously unknown aspects of the hospitality industry from the inside. I might even earn a few bucks.

Which reminds me – if you can, try to show your appreciation towards people working in the service industry by tipping them.

Don’t just, like a guest the other day, ask: “Do you expect a tip?”

You will always receive a polite answer (which is a sincere, but not the entire truth) that you shouldn’t worry about it, as that is indeed our job.

Nobody will hate you if you do not leave a tip. They will not spit in your drink nor deprioritize and downgrade the service to you.

However, in the tourism industry, even in countries such as Croatia, which highly depends on it, don’t just assume that the personnel are adequately remunerated. Your small gesture can be a powerful booster for those who serve you.

Here’s a little secret: if you see a lot of foreigners working in some European hotel, for instance, workers arriving from countries such as Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines, etc., don’t just assume you’ve arrived at a multicultural place. The truth behind it might be that some tourism jobs have been so devalued in terms of salaries that only visitors from the “third countries” can afford to do them.

So if it is within your budget, and you appreciate the efforts of those serving you at vacation, a little tip can go a long way.

Have a tip-giving week,

Ivan Kralj        
Pipeaway.com

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Ivan Kralj

Editor

Award-winning journalist and editor from Croatia