User:Osaka Prefecture May Set Admission Fees to Oppose Tourism
Tourism in Osaka is flourishing, and now the city is concerned about over-tourism. According to Yoshimura Hirofumi, the Osaka Prefecture is even considering setting up admission fees for foreign visitors.
Taxation plan:
Osaka already imposes accommodation taxes on both foreign and domestic visitors. The funds earned from this will be used to help clean streets and support anti-overtourism measures.
It is just the first step toward bringing the service across the country. The main goal is to establish the practice before April 2025, when the Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo begins.
As reported by The Japan Times, such programs are currently not regulated in Japan, so they must be operated in front of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and approved by the minister before presenting them to foreign visitors.
In order to impose taxes, local governments need to understand some details. Among them, it is to make sure that the levy system is in accordance with national tax practices.
The amount that tourists will have to pay is not yet known, but it will be decided in April when a panel of experts makes a final decision.
Currently, all tourists staying at the property, which costs at least $7,000 ($47) per night, are required to pay taxes ranging from $100 ($0.67) per ¥ to $300 ($2) per ¥.
Taxes for foreigners are expected to be similar, according to Asia Gaming Brief. Japan is not the only Asian country considering this - this is the next step for Thailand as well, and Bali Island in Indonesia has already taxed it.
An impressive project:
Osaka Casino Resort will be located on the artificial island of Yumeshima, where the expo will be held. The casino plans to open by the fall of 2030 and will cost about $13.5 billion to build. The first integrated Japanese resort will be developed by two giants, MGM Resorts, which is based in the U.S., and Orix, a local company.
Opening the resort will be a big milestone toward that goal, as the country's goal is to attract 60 million tourists a year by 2030, and Osaka's IR is expected to attract about 20 million tourists a year.
In addition to the impressive casinos, the new resorts include luxury hotels including MGM Osaka, MGM Villa, and MUSIIB Hotel. There are a total of 2,500 rooms. Besides this, visitors can enjoy a variety of amenities including a variety of food and beverage options, retail space, spa and fitness centers, shopping space, and banquet halls.
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