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From March next year, guests at Kyoto’s luxury hotels will pay ¥10,000 per person per night instead of the current ¥1,000 hotel tax.
💴 Tiered levy: From 200 yen for budget stays to 10,000 yen for rooms priced above 100,000 yen. Kyoto is setting a new national record.
👘 Kyoto at its limit: Record visitor numbers, congestion in Gion, and a lack of respect toward Geiko and Maiko. Some schools are skipping trips to Kyoto due to overcrowding and rising costs.
Watch: The additional revenue is meant to support sustainable tourism. In the short term, luxury stays will become more expensive, pushing demand toward off-seasons and outer districts. Hotels are expected to bundle prices into packages. Other cities may follow with similar taxes.
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