Tourism in Osaka is thriving, and now the city is concerned about overtourism. According to Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, the Osaka Prefectural Government is even considering setting up entry fees for foreign visitors.
Taxation plans:
In Osaka, the lodging tax is already imposed for both foreign and domestic tourists. The funds earned from this will be used to clean the streets and support the proposed measures against overtourism.
It is only the first step towards incorporating this service in the whole country. The main goal is to establish this practice before April 2025, when the Osaka-Kansai Japan Expo begins.
As Japan Times reports, at the moment, such a program isn’t regulated in Japan, so before presenting it to foreign visitors, it needs to be run before the Internal Affairs and Communication Ministry and get approved by the minister.
In order to impose taxes, the local government needs to figure out a few details. Among them is making sure that the levy system aligns with the national tax conventions.
The amount of money the tourists would need to pay is still unknown, but it will be decided in April when an expert panel will make the final decision.
At the moment, all tourists who stay in properties that cost at least ¥7,000 ($47) per night have to pay a tax that ranges from ¥100 ($0.67) to ¥300 ($2).
According to the Asia Gaming Brief, It is expected that the tax for foreigners will be similar. Japan isn’t the only Asian country that considers that – this is the next step for Thailand as well, and Bali Island in Indonesia already imposed the taxes.
An impressive project:
The Osaka casino resort will be located on the artificial island Yumeshima, where the expo will be held as well. The casino is planned to be opened by the fall of 2030, and its construction will cost about $13.5 billion. The first Japan’s integrated resort will be developed by two industry giants, US-based MGM Resorts and local company Orix Corp.
The country’s goal is to attract 60 million tourists per year by 2030, and opening this resort will be a great milestone towards that goal since it is expected that Osaka’s IR will attract about 20 million visitors every year.
Apart from an impressive casino, the new resort will include luxury hotels, including MGM Osaka, MGM Villas, and the MUSIIB Hotel. In total, they will feature 2,500 guest rooms. On top of that, the visitors will be able to enjoy a range of amenities, including various food and beverage options, a retail space, as well as a spa and fitness center, shopping areas, and banquet halls.