The possibility of dual pricing for locals/foreigners

[dunkindonut]

https://www.executivetraveller.com/...ia Okinawa, a nature,tourists will pay ¥1,000.

Junglia Okinawa apparently will be doing dual pricing meaning that foreigners have to pay more. I wonder if TDR would implement something like this eventually, definitely could see them doing it given their recent actions.

 

[Lewisc]

Aren't they already doing that? Many of the vacation package options are only available on the Japan site. I read you need a Japanese address and Japan credit card

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Aren't they already doing that? Many of the vacation package options are only available on the Japan site. I read you need a Japanese address and Japan credit card

No they aren't already doing that. There is a place or two in Japan doing it but locals aren't really wanting it either. They worry it is unfair and could adversely affect tourism (even as they battle overtourism in spots).

As far as your second comment while it can be incredibly difficult if you're outside of Japan to use their site people are successful doing it. I know for me to purchase tickets we had to invert names as in put my last name first and my first name last just because of how surnames work there (as well as using Japanese language translation of it). Transactions went through successfully with non-Japanese CCs even as some were declined (this was while we were in the U.S.) And once you're there your card works just fine, it's just a thing about being physically outside of Japan. BUT this isn't about specifically charging different rates for locals as opposed to visitors which is what the OP is mentioning.

 

[Lewisc]

Multiple internet sites claim the Japanese site offers unique vacation packages (not ticket only) that are only available to Japanese residents.

I don't know if the sites are correct or if those packages are deals.

 

[gelatoni fan]

No they aren't already doing that. There is a place or two in Japan doing it but locals aren't really wanting it either. They worry it is unfair and could adversely affect tourism (even as they battle overtourism in spots).

As far as your second comment while it can be incredibly difficult if you're outside of Japan to use their site people are successful doing it. I know for me to purchase tickets we had to invert names as in put my last name first and my first name last just because of how surnames work there (as well as using Japanese language translation of it). Transactions went through successfully with non-Japanese CCs even as some were declined (this was while we were in the U.S.) And once you're there your card works just fine, it's just a thing about being physically outside of Japan. BUT this isn't about specifically charging different rates for locals as opposed to visitors which is what the OP is mentioning.

Since the vacation packages being offered are different, it's currently not a dual pricing issue. These days, the prices do seem to match up quite closely based on what is offered.

Early last year, there was a price difference. I actually priced two nearly identical vacation packages on identical dates in the same room type with the same attraction selections and breakfast to see if there was any advantage to buying a foreigner package for opening day at Fantasy Springs. The Japanese package was about 10% cheaper despite also including 2 show tickets that weren't included in the foreigner package.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Multiple internet sites claim the Japanese site offers unique vacation packages (not ticket only) that are only available to Japanese residents.

I don't know if the sites are correct or if those packages are deals.

I consider that to be basically like a UK vacation package type thing where there are certain packages offered to them; there are multiple packages available to international guests. I just gave my personal experience with tickets because we didn't want to purchase the vacation package though we went through nearly the whole process of doing so. They do have an english-app for TDR as well.

It does not mean that they are pricing all the vacation packages they offer where if you're a resident of Japan it's one price and if you're a non-resident it's another price but the vacation package is the same otherwise, the price is just charged differently solely based on your nationality.

What the OP is talking about is you walk up to the gates and based on your nationality you're told it's X price, but for Japanese it would be Y price (a lower price). For Japan this practice has not been well-received by locals and thus hadn't been adopted and hadn't gotten beyond a place here and there, but now would be done on a much broader scale a large break from the country's current way.

Personally for the sites mentioned in the article I highly doubt it would deter tourists but it would certainly give Japan more. Just last year TDR was mentioning that they anticipated lower attendance than they hoped they would get (with the opening of Fantasy Springs) so I'm not sure if a different pricing structure would get to TDR that it would reduce numbers as opposed to simply make more money for TDR.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Since the vacation packages being offered are different, it's currently not a dual pricing issue. These days, the prices do seem to match up quite closely based on what is offered.

Early last year, there was a price difference. I actually priced two nearly identical vacation packages on identical dates in the same room type with the same attraction selections and breakfast to see if there was any advantage to buying a foreigner package for opening day at Fantasy Springs. The Japanese package was about 10% cheaper despite also including 2 show tickets that weren't included in the foreigner package.

For me personally it's got to be exactly to a T the same package in order to actually discuss pricing differences most especially in the context of pricing for residents vs tourists. Once you change anything in a package even as simple as a meal, DPA number included or a show it's no longer the same product being given to two individuals and priced differently for one vs the other based on their nationality. It's like a UK package that includes 14 days of tickets, an option not available in the U.S. and yet normally is less money. It's formulated for the guests in mind. Including 2 show tickets (circling back to what you gave as an example) is akin to that and it's also no longer the same package for comparison usages.

 

[Kwami]

For me personally it's got to be exactly to a T the same package in order to actually discuss pricing differences most especially in the context of pricing for residents vs tourists. Once you change anything in a package even as simple as a meal, DPA number included or a show it's no longer the same product being given to two individuals and priced differently for one vs the other based on their nationality. It's like a UK package that includes 14 days of tickets, an option not available in the U.S. and yet normally is less money. It's formulated for the guests in mind. Including 2 show tickets (circling back to what you gave as an example) is akin to that and it's also no longer the same package for comparison usages.

Except in this case, the cheaper package with more benefits is offered to the locals. That's pretty clearly what the OP is getting at.

(In comparison, the UK packages are offered to the foreign guests who have to travel further as an incentive to get them to visit Orlando. That's the opposite situation.)

Nintendo is doing this with the Switch 2. There's a "Japanese only" version that's substantially cheaper than what everyone else will pay.

 

[dunkindonut]

I guess we may find out very soon as the fiscal year report comes up.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Except in this case, the cheaper package with more benefits is offered to the locals. That's pretty clearly what the OP is getting at.

(In comparison, the UK packages are offered to the foreign guests who have to travel further as an incentive to get them to visit Orlando. That's the opposite situation.)

Nintendo is doing this with the Switch 2. There's a "Japanese only" version that's substantially cheaper than what everyone else will pay.

I think the topic is getting off from the usage of the article for pondering.

___ Temple in Kyoto is (ETA: expected to be) charged X price for non-locals (the article mentioned Australian dollars) and Y price for locals and goes on to discuss other destinations that already use this format (ETA: using the Japanese nature park as an example in Japan bucking with the overall viewpoint of the way it is handled presently in Japan).

IF the OP means anything other than that then what we're talking about is merely different options that already exist today. IF what the OP is wondering about is if TDR would start to charge different pricing like some Kyoto temples are (ETA: expected to be) doing based on your nationality then the usage of the article makes sense.

Benefits, perks, what is included in a package aren't the same topic as charging different prices such as entry to a temple because someone is local and someone is not.

As far as your ninetendo example if the versions differ it's not the same product being used for comparison and most of the time it's not the same product due to legal reasons (such as privacy laws, softwares allowed, etc) but if it's the exact same product you can get in Japan as elsewhere I'd say that's a good example.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I guess we may find out very soon as the fiscal year report comes up.

I'd be intrigued to see what they think the year holds for them. They were clear that last year's attendance was expected to fall short of expectations (I believe it was something like 4% less than they were hoping but don't quote me on that exact percentage). The allure of Fantasy Springs and the post-reopening of Japan's tourism not as strong as they had hoped for (could have fooled me last October when we were there and the slew of people I knew who went to Japan last year). But guest spending IIRC was good which of course opening a new hotel, having a high paid add on for a 1-day pass, no park hoppers nor multi-day nor APs would help on that front including new merch (which seemed like a lot of people were buying that up including Halloween things when we were there in droves).

 

[fatmanatee]

My sense of this was that the pricing differences are for areas where there's a lot of overtourism and/or tourists are being extremely rude in one way or another. Is there any indication that either of these is a problem at TDL? Been hearing it way more about other places in Japan.

 

[Kwami]

As far as your ninetendo example if the versions differ it's not the same product being used for comparison and most of the time it's not the same product due to legal reasons (such as privacy laws, softwares allowed, etc) but if it's the exact same product you can get in Japan as elsewhere I'd say that's a good example.

It's the exact same product, but limited to only using the Japanese language and Japanese Nintendo accounts so that foreigners don't try to import them.

 

[Tippytoes925]

https://www.executivetraveller.com/news/japan-tourist-entry-fees-dual-pricing-costs#:~:text=At Junglia Okinawa, a nature,tourists will pay ¥1,000.

Junglia Okinawa apparently will be doing dual pricing meaning that foreigners have to pay more. I wonder if TDR would implement something like this eventually, definitely could see them doing it given their recent actions.

I'm surprised it's taken this long to be honest. Most places have discounted annual passes and tickets for local residents.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I'm surprised it's taken this long to be honest. Most places have discounted annual passes and tickets for local residents.

It's just news outlets suddenly talking about it because overtourism news gets clicks now. Plenty of attractions in Japan already have local tickets but often at a regional level rather than country level. Some places also have discounts for buying online through a site that requires Japanese phone number verification or mailing tickets to a Japanese residential address. And some hotel websites also show different plans and prices on the Japanese and English sites.

In terms of truly restricting to Japanese residents, Huis Ten Bosch requires proof of address in Japan to buy an annual pass.

The reverse also sometimes exists. Sumida Aquarium and Maxell Aqua Park used to have cheaper tickets for foreigners although I don't know if they still do. Adachi Museum of Art in Shimane still has a small foreign tourist discount. And train passes for foreigners can be seen as a huge discount over buying individual train tickets.