Latest news with #foreign tourists
South China Morning Post
21-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
‘Are you from Japan?' Foreigners must pay to pray at this temple
A temple in southwestern Japan is drawing controversy and criticism for its recent decision to charge admission only to foreign tourists, at a time when issues related to people from abroad are gaining attention in the national election. Since May, Nanzoin in Fukuoka Prefecture, known for its 41-meter (135-foot) long reclining Buddha statue, has been charging foreign visitors 300 yen (US$2) to enter, saying the funds are needed to address nuisance behaviour. An expert said that the move 'lacks transparency', as debate over the pricing policy for foreign tourists – whose numbers have reached a record high – has intensified. A sign reading 'Visitors' in English stands at the entrance to the area surrounding one of the world's largest statues of its kind, where foreigners queue up to pay a fee at a reception window. Those with proof of long-term stays in Japan for work or study are exempt. Visitors crowd a street leading to Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto on Friday. Photo: Reuters As Japanese people are not charged, no explanation in Japanese appears on the sign. Staff or security guards confirm verbally, asking questions like 'Are you from Japan?' before directing them to bypass the line without waiting.
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
China sees surge in sales of duty-free goods amid inbound tourism boom
Major Chinese cities have reported a surge in purchases of tax-refundable goods by foreign tourists in recent months, as new duty-free rules designed to boost tourism spending begin to pay off. China has introduced a string of measures to make it easier for international tourists to buy goods duty-free in recent months, with visitors now often able to claim sales tax refunds immediately in stores rather than having to line up at the airport. In Shanghai, sales of tax-refundable goods jumped 85 per cent year on year in the first half of 2025, with the number of 'buy now, refund now' transactions surging 28-fold, according to figures released by the city's municipal government last week. China introduced a more generous tax-refund policy for inbound tourists in late April, lowering the minimum purchase threshold from 500 yuan (US$69) to 200 yuan. The government has also expanded the number of localities and stores where visitors can claim refunds. Sales of tax-free goods to inbound visitors in Beijing have averaged more than 100 million yuan per month so far this year, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported on Monday.
