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You might need to pay a fee the next time you want to visit the popular tourist destination of Jeju Island in South Korea.

The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province is considering imposing a tourism fee or "admission tax" on visitors in an effort to maintain environmental sustainability, according to the Korea Times and Chosun Ilbo.

In 2022 itself, the island attracted as many as 13.59 million domestic visitors, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The goal is to make tourists contribute to environmental conservation costs since they are the users of the natural environment, according to Korea Bizwire.

The measure, which is still under review, was announced by the island's provincial government on Apr. 16.

How much?

Each visitor should expect to pay an average fee of 8,170 won (S$8.27) per day.

This includes a fee per night of 1,500 won (S$1.52) for tourists.

Those who rent a car or minivan will be charged 5,000 won (S$5.06) or 10,000 won (S$10.12) respectively per day.

For those renting a bus, they will be charged five per cent of the rental fee.

If passed at the National Assembly, the initiative is projected to rake in around 141 billion won (S$143 million) in its first year of implementation, Korea Times reported.

Environmental impact

Jeju Island’s authority announced the measure in view of local concerns on the environmental impacts of tourism, especially with the post-Covid reopening.

In 2012, it had already attempted to impose an admission fee but faced opposition, according to Korea Times.

The island continued to struggle with the increased load of rubbish and sewage, as well as damage to the natural environmental as a result of more tourists, Chosun Ilbo reported.

In August 2022, the island's government collaborated with the Korea Environment Institute to research the practicality of a tourism fee, according to Korea Bizwire.

Careful process

The provincial government will propose the measure to South Korea’s National Assembly within 2023.

Jeju’s Governor, Oh Young-hun, said in a provincial council on Apr. 13 that the measure is under careful planning so as to gain the support of locals, Korea Times reported.

Besides brainstorming measures to preserve Jeju Island’s ecological diversity, they have also been reviewing three other laws to better help the island manage its visitors.

They will continue to monitor responses from the National Assembly, central government, firms and media, as some netizens have already reacted negatively to the potential implementation of the fee.

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Top images via Unsplash/Yamin Ohmar & Jeju Province