CNMI: An official of the Japan Airlines expressed concern regarding the new environmental impact fee to be collected from tourists in Palau.

Katsuaki Suzuki, JAL executive officer and deputy general manager for passenger sales and marketing division, said the new green fee will “confuse” Japanese tourists.

Mr Suzuki, in a letter to Palau President Johnson Toribiong, asked whether the green fee can be imposed next year to give tour agencies in Japan more time to explain it to their customers.

The new fee will cost $35 and will be collected from each tourist starting Nov.1.

“We want the authorities to understand that $35, including the current departure tax, would definitely impact the Japanese demand. Japanese consumers are so price-sensitive these days,” Mr Suzuki said.

In Japan, he added, travel agencies should fully explain this fee to their customers through tour brochures which are produced twice a year — in early March and in early September.

He said the airline will highly appreciate it if Toribiong delays the implementation of the fee.

But Mr Toribiong said the implementation can no longer be delayed.

The Japanese tourists are Palau’s primary market, with 20,000 arrivals each year.