Jeju's increasingly booming tourism industry is coming with a price.
The island is stuggling to manage an overload of garbage and sewage that
threatens its marine ecosystem and the livelihood of its residents. To
support environmental sustainability, the local government is
considering imposing tourism fees on visitors.
If passed by the National Assembly, the proposed measure will require
each visitor to pay an average fee of 8,170 won (US$6.20) per day. The
fees range from 1,500 won per night for tourists to 10,000 won for
minivans, with the measure expected to generate 141 billion won for the
government in the first year and 167 billion won in the second year.
Jeju previously attempted to implement an entry fee in 2012, but the
move faced opposition. In August 2022, the government requested the
Korea Environment Institute to conduct a feasibility study on an entry
fee.
With plans to propose a bill to the National Assembly by the end of
2023, the local government hopes that the proposed tourism fees will
provide a larger budget and stronger laws to address the growing
responsibility of catering to visitors while preserving the island’s
natural resources.
While the move may face opposition, the local government emphasised
that the introduction of the measure is being carefully planned to draw
citizen support from across the country. Governor Oh Young-hun
acknowledged that the process will not be easy, and he is closely
monitoring reactions from the central government, the National Assembly,
private businesses, and news outlets.
The proposed tourism fees on Jeju emphasise the importance of
sustainable tourism practices and the obligation of both tourists and
local authorities to preserve natural resources. After attracting over
13 million visitors in 2022, the island has experienced an upsurge in
garbage and sewage that jeopardises its marine ecosystem and the
community's welfare.