National Parks to raise fees for millions of international tourists to popular US parks

WASHINGTON– The National Park Service announced Tuesday that it will begin charging millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year $100 more to access some of the most popular sites, while excluding them from free days that will be reserved for U.S. residents.

The announcement declaring “America-focused entrance fee policies” comes as national parks face pressure from significant staff reductions and severe budget cuts, as well as recovering from the damage caused by the recent government shutdown and a significant loss of revenue from not collecting fees during this time.

The fee change will affect 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

Under the changes, which are expected to take effect Jan. 1, foreign tourists will also see the price of their annual park pass rise to $250, while U.S. residents will continue to be charged $80, according to the department’s statement.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on social platform

A White House article on X outlining the fee increase ended with the phrase “AMERICANS FIRST.”

The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump ordered parks to increase entrance fees for foreign tourists.

“There is a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions about its implementation – all of which NPCA will raise with the Interior Department,” Kati Schmidt, a spokeswoman for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.

The US Travel Association estimates that in 2018, national parks and monuments welcomed more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone said that in 2024, nearly 15% of its visitors will come from outside the country, up from 30% in 2018.

Money generated from the new fees will help support national parks, including improving visitor facilities and maintaining them, according to the release.

Next year’s “free residents-only patriotic days” include Veterans Day, which was one of eight free park days open to everyone in 2025. The Interior Department had announced the days saying it wanted to ensure that “everyone, regardless of zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands.”

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Golden reported from Seattle.