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New Japan Theme Park Has Two-Tier Pricing for Foreigners. Will People Pay?
Junglia Okinawa bets it can appeal to inbound tourists — despite charging them more than locals.
By Jay Andrew Allen
A new theme park with no name recognition opened for business in Okinawa on July 28th. The nature-themed destination hopes to tap into Okinawa’s booming tourism traffic. It also hopes to make a pretty penny off of overseas visitors with its two-tier pricing system. The question is: Will it succeed?
What’s in Junglia Okinawa
Junglia Okinawa advertises itself as a “Power Vacance” (that’s Japanese English for “power vacation”). The new theme park features 22 attractions and shows, including a tree-top adventure, balloon rides, a “dinosaur safari,” bungee and swing rides, as well as water and fireworks shows.
Junglia is located in Nakijin, a village on Okinawa Island with a population of under 10,000 people. The park says it showcases and supports the Yambaru (山原), the forested northern part of Okinawa Island. The Yambaru is host to around 177 species that are considered endangered, such as the Okinawa rail, or Yambaru…
