US National Parks to raise fees for millions of international tourists to popular sites
Tourists flock to Mather Point at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. (AP: Ross D. Franklin)
In short:
The US National Park Service says it will start charging international tourists who visit US parks extra fees to enter some of the most popular sites.
The fee change will impact 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to authorities.
What's next?
From January 1, 2026, foreign tourists will also see their annual park pass price jump to $US250, while US residents will continue to be charged $US80.
Millions of international tourists who visit US parks each year will be charged an extra $US100 ($154) to enter some of the most popular sites, the US National Park Service has said.
The announcement declaring "America-first entry fee policies" comes as national parks deal with the strain of a major staff reduction and severe budget cuts.
It also follows the recovery from damage during the recent government shutdown and significant loss of revenue due to fees not being collected during that time.
The fee change will impact 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the US Department of the Interior.
Visitors watch a sunset on rock ledge near Taft Point in Yosemite National Park in California. (AP: Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle)
As part of the changes, set to take effect on January 1, foreign tourists will also see their annual park pass price jump to $US250 ($385), while US residents will continue to be charged $US80, according to the department's statement.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on the social platform X that the changes make sure US taxpayers who support the park service "continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations!"
A White House post on X laying out the increased fees ended with the phrase, "AMERICANS FIRST".
The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump directed the parks to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.
"There's a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation — all of which NPCA will raise with the Department of the Interior", Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.
The US Travel Association estimated that in 2018, national parks and monuments saw more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone reported that in 2024, nearly 15 per cent of its visitors were from outside the country, which was down from 30 per cent in 2018.
The money made from the new fees will help support the national parks, including upgrading facilities for visitors and maintenance, according to the statement.
The "resident-only patriotic fee-free days" next year include Veterans Day, which was one of the parks' eight free days open to everyone in 2025.
The Department of the Interior announced those days, saying it wanted to ensure that "everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands."
AP/ABC