A policy adding surcharges for international visitors at major U.S. national parks has generated $22.5 million in its first six months, roughly a quarter of the $90 million in annual revenue officials had projected. The surcharges stem from Executive Order 14314, signed in July 2025 and put into effect on January 1, 2026, which raised the annual America the Beautiful pass for foreign visitors from $80 to $250 and added a $100 per-person daily fee on top of standard entrance costs at 11 major parks, including Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion.
Early growth, or a shortfall
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has framed the slower-than-projected revenue as early-stage growth rather than a failure of the policy, saying it has "created a sustainable funding stream." In practice, implementation has included verbal residency checks at park gates for visitors without a pass, and the rollout's first week saw reported entrance delays. Five Senate Democrats have criticized the process itself, arguing it skipped the formal notice-and-comment period required under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.
A tourism backdrop already under pressure
The surcharges arrived as international travel to the U.S. was already declining: visits from abroad fell 5.5% in 2025 even as global travel grew overall, with foreign tourists spending $14 billion less than they did in 2024. One analysis cited alongside the policy found 46% of international travelers said they were less likely to visit the U.S. because of federal policy, a trend the new park fees will now be tested against as officials aim, in their stated rationale, to "preserve these opportunities for American families in future generations."