Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 19 hours ago
This is a question that has become a lot more relevant in the United States recently, after President Donald Trump announced, via Executive Order, that National Parks in the US would start charging international visitors higher entrance fees. This is fairly common practice around the world, but is, of course, new to the US. Since that announcement, I've been thinking a lot about how this might work and what it might look like once implemented, including its potential to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue for a beleaguered National Park System. In this video, we're breaking down the question: Should international visitors pay more to visit US National Parks?
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/c/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
Executive Order: whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/making-america-beautiful-again-by-improving-our-national-parks
Executive Order “Fact Sheet”: whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-makes-our-national-parks-great-again
DOI 2026 Budget Document: doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-06/fy26bibentire-book508060125_0.pdf
NPS Fee Project Database: nps.gov/aboutus/fees-at-work.htm
Outside Coverage: outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/national-parks-international-fee
National Parks Traveler Coverage: nationalparkstraveler.org/2024/01/travelers-view-should-international-national-park-visitors-be-charged-more
Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: wsj.com/opinion/how-to-save-our-national-parks-funding-surcharge-international-visitors-250db1a6
PERC Policy Brief: npshistory.com/publications/management/overseas-visitors.pdf
PARKS Research Paper (2019): npshistory.com/publications/management/overseas-visitors.pdf
Images and Music:
Storyblocks
NPS
PERC
This is a question that has become a lot more relevant in the United States recently, after President Donald Trump announced, via Executive Order, that National Parks in the US would start charging international visitors higher entrance fees. This is fairly common practice around the world, but is, of course, new to the US. Since that announcement, I've been thinking a lot about how this might work and what it might look like once implemented, including its potential to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue for a beleaguered National Park System. In this video, we're breaking down the question: Should international visitors pay more to visit US National Parks?
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/c/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
Executive Order: whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/making-america-beautiful-again-by-improving-our-national-parks
Executive Order “Fact Sheet”: whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-makes-our-national-parks-great-again
DOI 2026 Budget Document: doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-06/fy26bibentire-book508060125_0.pdf
NPS Fee Project Database: nps.gov/aboutus/fees-at-work.htm
Outside Coverage: outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/national-parks-international-fee
National Parks Traveler Coverage: nationalparkstraveler.org/2024/01/travelers-view-should-international-national-park-visitors-be-charged-more
Wall Street Journal Op-Ed: wsj.com/opinion/how-to-save-our-national-parks-funding-surcharge-international-visitors-250db1a6
PERC Policy Brief: npshistory.com/publications/management/overseas-visitors.pdf
PARKS Research Paper (2019): npshistory.com/publications/management/overseas-visitors.pdf
Images and Music:
Storyblocks
NPS
PERC
