Korea's southern resort island of Jeju is looking to introduce a special tax on tourists,... dubbed an "environmental tax,"... to try to address the increasing costs of preserving Jeju's pristine environment.
Kim Hyo-sun tells us more.
Jeju Island is considering levying an environmental tax for visitors in the coming years.
The number of tourists to Jeju Island has increased steadily to reach nearly 14-point-seven million last year.
Jeju Island officials say the influx of tourists has led to increased pollution, waste and traffic congestion.
As a result,... clean-up costs are mounting.
"Surveys conducted on people in the tourism industry, including tourists, call for the implementation of such a system. Once the taxation starts, we aim to use the funds to preserve Jeju's environment and vitalize ecological tourism."
The environmental tax would be set at nearly one-point-three U.S. dollars per hotel guest and four-and-a-half dollars for each rental car customer a day.
While those who rent electric vehicles will get a 50 percent discount on the tax,... a single tourist visiting Jeju Island will have to pay seven-point-three dollars a day on average.
Jeju Island plans to begin imposing the tax in 2020,... following further discussions with the central government and after enacting related legislation.
However, the road to implementing such a system looks to be bumpy as it could raise the issue of fairness compared to other local tourist hotspots and the new tax would require a change to the law.
Kim Hyo-sun, Arirang News.
