US hikes national park entry fees for foreign tourists
The National Park Service will start charging the millions of international tourists who visit US parks each year an extra US$100 ($A155) for entry to some of the most popular sites, excluding them from free days set aside for Americans.
The announcement announcing “America-first entry fee policies” comes as national parks are dealing with major staff reductions and severe budget cuts, as well as recovering from damage sustained during the recent government shutdown and facing significant revenue losses due to fees not being collected during that 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.
As part of the changes, which will come into force on January 1, annual park pass prices for foreign tourists will also rise to US$250 ($A390), while US residents will continue to be charged an US$80 fee, the ministry said.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on social platform
The White House tweet announcing the increased wages ended with the phrase “AMERICANS FIRST.”
The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump ordered the parks to increase entrance fees for foreign tourists.
The U.S. Travel Association estimates there were more than 14 million international visitors to national parks and monuments in 2018. Yellowstone reported that approximately 15 percent of visitors in 2024 will come from outside the country, down from 30 percent in 2018.
