Tips given to tourist workers in Cuba - Cuba Tipping

by Jennifer
(Canada)

Cuba Tipping
Do Cuban workers in the restaurants and hotels get to keep all the pesos convertible and the amount that they are worth?

ANSWER: by Vic Webmaster Havana-guide.com


To better understand the situation consider this:
in Cuba it's a privilege to work in the tourist industry. Most of the workers have a recommendation of Party Officials, sometimes functions are even bought because they're very lucrative. The average Cuban salary is 25-30 USD but in the tourist industry, a bar tender, taxi driver or a room maid can make more from their tips and triple their regular income.

Factory workers and farmers gave intense criticism
on the "RICH" earnings in the Cuban tourist industry during the Communist Party Commitees.
For this reason the Cuban Minister of Tourism has decided that all tips must be collected and put in a collective fund and later distributed over the entire staff. So far the theory. I have seen waiters giving their tips to the hotel or bar cashier, but I have my doubts. Cuba is Cuba, who will control the pockets of the barman, room maids etc. the need for money is big and tips are welcome. My guess is that a good portion of the tips will disappear in the pockets of the workers.