Himeji Castle and Venice: A Case Study of Entrance Fee Hikes to Address Over-Tourism

Recently, the entrance fee policies of Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, and the city of Venice, Italy, have sparked considerable controversy. Both cities implemented entrance fee increases to address overtourism; however, they share a commonality in that their discriminatory policies, applying only to foreign tourists, have drawn criticism.

Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture

Comparison of Himeji Castle and Venice's Entrance Fee Policies

Approximately 1.48 million tourists visited Himeji Castle last year, with about 450,000 (one-third) being foreign tourists. The mayor of Himeji City announced plans to increase the entrance fee for foreign tourists by four times. Currently, everyone 18 years and older pays 1,000 yen (approximately 8,700 won), regardless of nationality. However, the plan is to significantly increase the fee to 30 dollars (approximately 41,000 won) for foreigners and decrease it to 5 dollars (approximately 6,900 won) for Japanese citizens. This differential pricing is said to follow the example of other famous tourist destinations, such as the Taj Mahal in India, which charges higher entrance fees for foreigners.

Venice also introduced a city entrance fee for the first time this year, charging 5 euros (approximately 7,500 won) for day visitors. Next year, they plan to increase it to a maximum of 10 euros (approximately 15,000 won) depending on the booking time. However, unlike Himeji Castle, Venice applies the same fee to all tourists, regardless of nationality.

Overview of Venice, Italy

Policy Background and Controversy

Both cities aim to address overtourism; however, Himeji Castle is facing criticism for raising the fee only for foreigners. Local Japanese residents also expressed their opposition, stating that "it would be upsetting to be charged discriminatory fees when traveling abroad." In contrast, Venice's application of the entrance fee without distinction based on nationality has resulted in relatively less controversy.

These two cases illustrate the conflicts arising from the implementation of new policies to ensure the sustainability of tourist destinations. In particular, Himeji Castle's differential pricing could spark global controversy, not just within Japan.

Both Himeji Castle and Venice are implementing policies that impose additional costs on tourists to address overtourism. However, while Himeji Castle is facing controversy for significantly raising fees for only foreign tourists, Venice imposes the same entrance fee on all visitors, adopting a fairer approach. Whether the policies of each city will actually solve the overtourism problem and how tourists will react remains to be seen.