One of Australia's favourite Asian hotspots just tripled its travel tax

Saying "sayonara" to your favourite holiday destination is about to cost you three times as much.

One of Australia's favourite Asian hotspots, Japan, has tripled its departure tax, as the global travel landscape continues to shift.

From this month, the country's "tourist tax" has jumped from roughly $10 to $30.

While an extra twenty bucks won't necessarily break the bank, it's yet another pinch in an increasingly expensive overseas travel market.

The tax applies to anyone leaving the country by air or sea, including Australian tourists. For most travellers, it will be incorporated into the cost of their airline ticket home.

The rapid post-pandemic boom in tourism has driven record-breaking visitor numbers to Japan. An estimated 42.6 million tourists visited the nation in 2025, including a record one million Australians, according to figures from Japan National Tourism Organization.

The additional revenue gathered from the tax will help fund over-tourism measures, including strengthening the nation's infrastructure.

World Expeditions CEO, Sue Badyari, said this is unlikely to be the only tax hike we'll see in the region in the near future.

She said more destinations could introduce or increase tourism levies as visitor numbers recover and grow.

"It's becoming an increasingly common way for governments to ensure tourism contributes directly to maintaining infrastructure, protecting natural and cultural assets and supporting local communities," Badyari told Explore.

"If these levies are transparent and the revenue is genuinely reinvested into improving destinations, most travellers are very accepting of them."

Badyari doesn't expect the tourist tax hike to have any "meaningful impact" on Australians choosing Japan as a holiday destination.

"Japan continues to represent excellent value, particularly with the favourable exchange rate and the breadth of experiences available," she said.

"For most travellers, [the additional tax] is unlikely to influence their decision to visit. If anything, travellers generally understand and appreciate when tourism revenue is reinvested into maintaining the places they come to enjoy."

But G Adventures managing director ANZ, Sean Martin, said the increased tax would have "a small number of Australian's looking to other destinations".

"Increased tourist taxes always have a flow-on effect as customers weigh up the total cost of a trip," Martin told Explore.

However, it won't stop the vast majority visiting, he said.

More travellers heading to over-touristed countries, such as Japan, are choosing regional areas over cities.

G Adventures has launched a "Ripple Score" on its tours, which indicates how much money from the tour will stay in the local community.

"Opting for a small-group tour gives you the opportunity to disperse into smaller communities that are less frequently visited, or selecting locally-owned accommodation options keeps your tourism dollars in the hands of locals in the very community in which you're visiting," Martin said.

Badyari encouraged Aussies to look beyond the tourism hotspots.

"Exploring Japan's regional walking trails, national parks and smaller communities not only offers a richer travel experience but also helps spread the economic benefits of tourism more sustainably," she said.