Approximately 14.6 million travelers from other countries visit America’s national parks annually. Now, the U.S. Department of the Interior is proposing a surcharge so that these visitors pay a little extra for park entrance fees. While this may sound like a strange idea at first glance, the proposal could be beneficial for both our parks and American taxpayers—here’s why: 

The problem 

Some national parks technically generate revenue for operations and maintenance. According to the service, of the more than 400 sites managed by the National Park Service (NPS), about 100 sites charge admission. With 80 percent of the money collected funding the site where it was collected, and 20 percent redistributed among sites that don’t charge an entrance fee. 

However, revenue from park entrance fees is not enough to fund the NPS. Entrance fees currently bring in around $350 million annually. The enacted Fiscal Year 2024 budget for the NPS was $3.3 billion, meaning each American taxpayer owed about $20. And that’s just the operating budget—it’s estimated that NPS needs more than $20 billion to address the deferred maintenance backlog and fix our parks. 

Deferred maintenance is a significant problem for America’s national parks. Items on the deferred maintenance backlog are simply repairs and upkeep that did not occur when scheduled or when they were due. It takes a lot of time and money to maintain the 5,500 miles of paved roads, 17,000 miles of trails, and 25,000 buildings that NPS oversees. More than 330 million annual visitors, including those from other countries, create additional wear and tear on top of already needed repairs.

The proposal 

President Trump’s administration recently released proposed budgets for Fiscal Year 2026. The proposal would cut the NPS budget by more than $1 billion. However, the proposal also signaled that NPS sites may begin to charge international visitors an entry fee surcharge that the administration asserts could generate approximately $90 million in revenue. 

It’s not an unheard of proposal. National parks in other countries regularly charge international visitors more than they do local visitors. Even within the United States, the concept already exists—a Hawaii law charging a fee on tourism activities to fund environmental restoration is set to take effect in 2026. Many state parks and tourist sites across the country also follow a model that offers discounted entrance fees to local residents. 

“Asking international visitors to pay more to visit America’s national parks is not just fair, it is a smart, market-driven way to address maintenance needs so that our beloved parks remain pristine for future generations,” says Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) CEO Brian Yablonski. 

How much could this generate?

The amount that a surcharge could generate depends on one thing: how much international visitors are charged. While the Trump administration has not announced exactly how much it wants the surcharge to be, some simple math gives us a good starting point. The administration estimates that it will generate approximately $90 million in revenue. Divide that by the estimated 14.6 million annual international visitors, and it amounts to roughly a surcharge of about $ 0.42 per visitor. Given the expenses foreigners are willing to pay for flights and lodging, the additional surcharge is hardly a disincentive for international travelers to vacation elsewhere. 

Critically, there is potential to generate much more than just $90 million. PERC research into the topic introduced scenarios based on three surcharge tiers: $25, $40, and $100 per international visitor. Based on the steady number of international visitors to NPS sites each year, the organization estimates that these tiers could generate $330 million, $528 million, or $1.2 billion in additional annual revenue, respectively. 

Charging a higher surcharge saves taxpayers money while providing much-needed maintenance funds for NPS sites. 

Will this deter international tourism? 

As mentioned above, it is doubtful that a surcharge would reduce the number of international visitors to NPS-managed sites each year. About one-third of all international visitors to the United States will visit a site managed by NPS while they are here. And, these visitors are already paying quite a bit of money to make the trip. 

A 2017 study found that the average international visitor to Yellowstone National Park paid $4,500 for their trip. When analyzing a hypothetical scenario that raised car entrance fees by $40 for international visitors, the study found that the additional charge would decrease visitation by only 0.07 percent. International visitors are already spending a good chunk of money to come to the United States—it’s unlikely that small surcharges, whether $25, $40, or $100, will impact their desire to visit NPS sites while they are here. 

It is fantastic that millions of non-Americans flock to the United States each year to admire our country’s natural beauty. But extra visitors mean our National Park Service faces even greater maintenance issues. Now, by paying just a little extra, these visitors could help maintain our parks for the next generation of travelers. 

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.