Washington– The National Park Service said Tuesday it will begin charging millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year additional fees to enter some of the most popular sites, excluding them from fee-free days that will be set aside for American residents.
The announcement of the “America First Entrance Fee Policies” comes as national parks Dealing with stress From a significant reduction in the number of employees and severe budget cuts, in addition to recovering from the damage that occurred recently Government shutdown And a significant loss of revenue due to non-collection of fees during that period.
The fee change will affect 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
As part of the changes, which are set to take effect on January 1, foreign tourists will also see their annual park rates rise to $250, while US residents will continue to be charged $80, according to the department’s statement.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on social media platform
A White House post on X explaining the increased tariffs ended with the phrase “Americans first.”
The announcement follows an executive order issued by the President in July Donald Trump The parks were directed to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.
“There is a lot to clarify in this announcement, including many questions about its implementation — all of which the NPCA will raise with the Department of the Interior,” Katie Schmidt, a spokeswoman for the National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.
The U.S. Travel Association estimates that in 2018, national parks and monuments saw more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone reported that in 2024, approximately 15% of its visitors were from outside the country, which was down from 30% in 2018.
The money obtained from the new fees will help support the national parks, including developing facilities for visitors and maintenance, the statement said.
“National fee-free days for residents only” next year include Veterans Day, which was one of eight park-free days open to everyone in 2025. The Interior Department announced the days by saying it wanted to make sure “everyone, regardless of their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and public lands.”
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Golden reported from Seattle.