Japan has imposed a tourism tax on Mount Fuji, charging visitors between $12 to $16 after complaints about overcrowding and pollution began to rise.

This new idea has prompted some in Canada to wonder whether our tourist destinations like Niagara Falls and the Bay of Fundy could be potential candidates for our own tourism tax.

Lorne Sheehan, a professor at Dalhousie University specializing in destination management, said that the foundation of the tourism industry is attracting visitors and creating an unforgettable experience.

Sheehan explained, "Tourists want that experience to be as good as possible," adding that tourism taxes are becoming more common in the industry worldwide. "The concept is that tourists really need to pay for their experience. In some destinations… there might be too many tourists."

Sheehan noted that Canadian destinations like Niagara Falls and the Bay of Fundy could be candidates for a tourism tax, based on the large numbers of people who can have a negative social and environmental impact.

She added, "What they are paying for that experience has not been enough to compensate for what the community and the region and perhaps the country may bear."

Dennis Campbell, who works in tourism in Halifax, said that Peggy's Cove in Nova Scotia is a prime example of a destination that could benefit from a tourism tax, applied only to visitors.

Campbell pointed out that "there are about 750,000 visitors to Peggy's Cove each year and they do not charge any fees for parking." "It’s a small community of about 29 people who are bothered by all those people on busy days. If the community started charging $2 per person, it’s possible that this money could go back to the community."

Samantha Leon is a tourist visiting Halifax.

Leon said, “In my state of Colorado, many of our popular hiking areas have been overrun.” "We love that people want to enjoy the things we enjoy, but sometimes we just can’t handle that many people."

Leon also confirmed that she wouldn't mind paying a tourism tax if she knew where the money was going directly to local communities.