Nothing quite symbolizes the America First vision like our national parks. The U.S. created the first national park in 1872. But today the park system needs an estimated $23 billion for overdue maintenance and repairs. As President Trump pushes to treat our natural resources as national assets, he should consider a smart fix: a surcharge on the parks’ millions of international visitors.
Surprisingly, at America’s national parks, which contain some of the most beautiful and breathtaking places on earth, international guests pay the same entry fee as U.S. citizens. At Yellowstone, both locals and foreign tourists pay $35 a vehicle for seven days of access. For the average family of four over a long weekend trip, that breaks down to about $3 per person a day to see one of the natural wonders of the world.
That’s a rare bargain. Differential pricing for domestic and international visitors is standard practice worldwide. Chile’s Torres del Paine National Park charges locals $14 while international visitors pay $56. Ecuador’s Galápagos Islands charges foreign tourists more than six times what national citizens pay. At South Africa’s Kruger National Park, locals pay $7 while international tourists pay $29.
