The US will increase fees by 100 USD for foreign visitors to a series of national parks, while keeping ticket prices unchanged for US citizens.
The US National Park Service said on November 25 that the new fee will apply from January 1, 2026 to millions of international tourists visiting this country’s national parks each year. International visitors will also not enjoy free admission days like US citizens.
Accordingly, the annual pass price for international visitors will increase to 250 USD, while the ticket price for US citizens will still be 80 USD. Revenue from the new fees will be used to support the national park system, such as upgrading visitor facilities and maintenance.
An annual pass is a pass that allows buyers to visit the park multiple times and to many different parks, valid for 12 months. Without an annual pass, international visitors may have to pay an additional fee, up to 100 USD, when entering famous national parks in the US.
The agency said the “entrance fee policy puts the interests of Americans first” in a context where national parks are facing a lot of pressure due to severe staff and budget cuts. In addition, they are also recovering from the recent government shutdown and the significant revenue lost due to not collecting fees during that time.
According to the US Department of the Interior, the fee change will affect 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite.
Tourists at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA on October 1. Image: AP
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said the change is intended to ensure American taxpayers “continue to enjoy reasonable admission fees, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving the park for future generations!”.
President Donald Trump in July signed an executive order requiring parks to increase admission fees for foreign visitors. The White House also posted on social network X announcing the fee change, along with the phrase “America First”.
The US Tourism Association estimates that in 2018, national parks and monuments welcomed more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone National Park said that in 2024, nearly 15% of visitors to this location will be foreign, down from 30% in 2018.