Higher accommodation budget for Osaka trips！ A "stay tax" to be levied on all global travelers starting July

▲ Dotonbori, Osaka. (Photo / Reporter Tsai Wen-jun)

Reporter Tsai Wen-jun / Comprehensive report

To enhance various tourism development initiatives, Osaka has been collecting an accommodation tax from hotels and inns within the city since January 2017. The tax is divided into three tiers ranging from 100 yen to 300 yen, depending on the accommodation cost, and is collected by lodging operators before being remitted to the government. Now, the Osaka municipal government has further announced that starting this July, homestay operators will also be required to pay the tax, meaning that accommodation costs for future trips to Osaka will increase as well！

According to regulations set by the Osaka municipal government, the stay tax is 100 yen per person per night for stays costing between 10,000 yen and up to 15,000 yen; 200 yen for stays between 15,000 yen and up to 20,000 yen; and 300 yen for stays over 20,000 yen, calculated on a "per person per day" basis. This makes Osaka the second city in Japan to implement a stay tax, following Tokyo.

In addition to hotels and inns, starting July 1, the stay tax will also be levied on homestay operators. Except for stays under 10,000 yen which are exempt, the same collection rules apply as for hotels and inns.