Kyoto to charge 200-1,000 yen in accommodation tax in 2018

September 14, 2017

Kyoto- The western Japan city of Kyoto plans to charge an accommodation tax of 200-1,000 yen per guest per night, starting in October next year, informed sources said.

The city government aims to submit the plan to the city assembly shortly. In Japan, accommodation tax has been already introduced in Tokyo and the western prefecture of Osaka.

According to Kyoto's plan, 200 yen will be charged for a guest paying a hotel rate of less than 20,000 yen per night, 500 yen for 20,000 yen to less than 50,000 yen and 1,000 yen for 50,000 yen or over.

The tax will cover "minpaku" private lodging services as well. Students staying at hotels for school trips will be exempt from the tax.

The city government plans to use revenues from the tax, estimated at some 4.6 billion yen per year, for measures to resolve traffic congestion stemming from the increasing number of tourists and landscape conservation.

Operators of hotels and "ryokan" Japanese-style inns will be in charge of collecting tax from guests on behalf of the city.

For minpaku services, operators of websites that connect hosts with travelers, such as Airbnb Inc., may be assigned to collect tax. Under the plan, tax will be paid when guests make payments for bookings. Jiji Press