JAPANESE tourists are being asked to donate £5 each to help conserve the Lake District.

The visitor payback scheme, which will launch on Wednesday, will help repair footpaths and replant native trees around the Lakes by asking Japanese visitors to donate money through organis-ed tours and travel companies.

It is hoped the scheme, led by Nurture Lakeland, will encourage other nationalities to follow suit and help raise £25,000 this year to keep the Lake District in pristine condition.

The Japan Forum, a group of Lake District businesses which benefit from Japanese tourism, helped devise the programme.

Stephen Broughton, of touring company Mountain Goat and a member of the forum, said: “It’s a new idea and we hope it will be a contagious one.

“If we can develop this idea to other UK and international groups then hopefully we can raise a lot of money for the Lake District.”

Junko Ishiwata, a Lake District tour guide who provides Japanese commentaries with Mountain Goat Tours, thinks her country-men would be happy to help conserve the Lake District.

“I think people would like to donate money after they see the scenery on offer here because we love nature. It obviously depends on what people want to do but I don’t think £5 is very much to give when you think about how beautiful it is here.”

Andrew Dobson, who owns the Lakes Lodge Bed and Breakfast in Windermere, said between 30 and 40 per cent of his customers were Japanese. He thinks they would be unlikely to donate money for conservation of the Lake District.

“By the time they’ve paid for everything on their trip it usually costs a lot of money, so I don’t think they’ll want to give anything more,” he said. “From my experience of the Japanese they want what they pay for and they’ll pay no more and no less.

“I think it’s up to local people to pay for conservation rather than tourists because tourists are visitors here – they don’t get any permanent benefit by giving money for these causes.”

The Japanese tourist market has boomed since the release of the Miss Potter film in 2007.

Doners to the visitor payback scheme will receive a Peter Rabbit pin badge and certificate, and around 5,000 badges are expected to be sold in 2010.

Japanese visitors flock to the Lake District to visit Beatrix Potter attractions such as Hill Top in Near Sawrey, the Beatrix Potter Gallery in Hawkshead, and the World of Beatrix Potter.

The tourists’ view

Haruyo Murata, 57, Tokyo, Japan: “England costs a lot of money so I don’t think many Japanese people would be willing to pay money. Donations are not so popular in Japan – it’s a different culture.”

J J Khanchitakorn, 26, Thailand: “I think it’s a good idea - there’s heritage to be kept and the Lake District is a very historical place. It’s great to see where Beatrix Potter grew up.”

Tsinyaw Yeo, 39, Singapore: “This place is absolutely beautiful but if donations are going on then all visitors should give money. Why should just the Japanese give donations?”

Diego Augusto, 28, Peru: “I don’t think I would be willing to give money for that if it was voluntary, but I do love the atmosphere and the people of the Lake District.”

Chih-Jung Chuang, 28, China: “I would pay for the Lake District and nature. I really like it here but the weather is not good!”

Calista Chen, 29, Taiwan: “I think it’s quite expensive to travel to England but it is absolutely beautiful around here. Hill Top today was very lovely.”