National Parks Begin Charging International Visitors a $100 Surcharge

Eleven of the most visited national parks in the country began charging international visitors an additional $100 entrance fee starting January 1, part of a new "America-first" pricing policy for the National Park Service. The parks affected include Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.

Annual passes for non-US residents jumped from $80 to $250, while the standard $80 annual pass price for US residents remains unchanged. The policy traces back to an executive order directing the Interior Department to find ways to increase park revenue and improve the visitor experience by raising fees specifically for nonresident visitors.

The Interior Department has estimated the surcharge could generate more than $90 million annually, funding it says will go toward park maintenance and visitor services that have lagged behind visitation growth for years.

International tour operators have raised concerns that the surcharge could dampen visits from overseas travelers to marquee parks during the same year the country is marking its 250th anniversary and expecting elevated tourism interest generally.