New park fee for foreign tourists could generate hundreds of millions

By Thérèse Boudreaux
The Center Square

The Trump administration announced it is raising prices for nonresidents visiting national parks, a move that worries some tourism advocates but could generate hundreds of millions in extra revenue each year.

Beginning Jan. 1, international tourists without an annual pass will have to pay a $100 surcharge to enter the 11 most visited national parks, on top of the parks’ standard entrance fees. The annual pass will cost foreign visitors $250, rather than the current $80 price that will stay the same for U.S. residents.

The extra revenue will directly go towards park maintenance and repairs. The U.S. National Park Service estimates that the park system collectively needs $22 billion to address overdue maintenance and repairs.

“President Trump’s leadership always puts American families first,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said. “These policies ensure that U.S. taxpayers, who already support the National Park System, continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations.”

Out of the roughly 325.5 million visitors to national parks in 2023, about 14 million were international visitors, according to estimates from Property and Environment Research Center, which supports the new fees.

“This is a big win for everyone who loves America’s national parks. A $100 international visitor surcharge could generate $55 million annually at Yellowstone National Park alone, more than quadrupling that park’s revenue to address deteriorating trails, failing wastewater systems, and crumbling bridges,” PERC CEO Brian Yablonski said.

PERC has long advocated increased national park fees for nonresidents, pointing out that the practice is common abroad.

A PERC paper published in Dec. 2023 estimated that even a $40 surcharge for foreign visitors could raise an extra $528 million per year, more than doubling current annual revenue.

The paper included all national parks, while the Trump administration’s $100 surcharge only applies to 11 parks. But with the new surcharge being more than double PERC’s idea, plus the addition of the annual pass price hike for nonresidents, extra revenue could exceed the $528 million estimate.

Some conservationists worry the new fees will simply cause the number of foreign tourists to drop.

While a $40 surcharge would only decrease international tourists by an estimated 3%, according to PERC estimates, the tourism impact of a $100 surcharge on 11 of the most popular parks remains unknown.

Though the DOI did not name the parks in the press release, National Park Service data shows the 11 most visited parks in 2024 include:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Grand Canyon National Park

Zion National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park

Acadia National Park

Yosemite National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Joshua Tree National Park

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Glacier National Park

Olympic National Park