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Poll: Increasing Support in Japan for Two-Tier Tourist Pricing
Here’s why two-tier pricing is growing in popularity and which tourist spots might be most affected.
By Ebony Brown
Japan continues to welcome a record number of tourists every month. While that’s filling some business’s coffers, it’s also causing price hikes for ordinary citizens. As a result, a new poll shows that support for a two-tier pricing system is gaining momentum.
70% support a two-tier system
A July poll by Loyal Marketing showed that 69.5 percent of respondents in the teen to 70 age group favored some form of two-tier pricing for tourists. That’s an increase of 11.2 points since the company polled residents in February.
Of the 69.5, 40.2% strongly agreed that a two-tier system should be implemented. The remaining 28.6 mostly agreed. For those who did not support the change, 18.6% somewhat disagreed, while the remaining 11.9% disagreed.
A dramatic shift within all categories reflects a growing tide of support for the two-tier system that previously seemed unsavory to Japanese locals.