Experts commissioned by the Japan Tourism Agency met on Monday to launch a review of dual pricing for tourist sites, in which charges for nonresidents, including inbound tourists, are set higher than those for residents.
Based on their discussions, the agency plans to draw up guidelines as early as this fiscal year that will assist local governments and businesses in setting charges.
“In recent years, there has been a trend toward revising fees to help maintain and enhance tourism content and address overtourism,” JTA Commissioner Shigeki Murata said at the meeting. “Such cases can be used as references for other tourism facilities and services.”
In March, the Himeji city government in the western prefecture of Hyogo raised the entrance fee for Himeji Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to 2,500 yen for nonresidents, while keeping the price for residents unchanged at JPY1,000. (PNA)