For subscribers
Japan should be charging foreign tourists more
The country can afford to introduce dual pricing to tackle overtourism.
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In just 11 months in 2024, Japan welcomed 33.4 million visitors, rewriting the previous high of 31.9 million for the whole of 2019.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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Here’s an unpopular opinion: Japan should stop pussyfooting around the idea of dual pricing and charge foreign visitors more in overtouristed areas
Before accusing me of heresy, hear me out. Doing so will not only bring Japan in line with other travel destinations worldwide, including Singapore, but also go a long way towards fulfilling Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ambitions of rural revitalisation
