UK Industry Fires Back With Petition and Boycott Warnings
Visit USA, a UK-based travel association, has launched a petition against the surcharge and reports that UK citizens have already begun canceling trips to the United States. The timing couldn't be worse for an American tourism industry that's already watching Canadian visitor numbers collapse amid ongoing political tensions and retaliatory trade concerns. The UK market represents a significant slice of international visitation to U.S. national parks. These aren't casual day trippers; they're long-haul travelers who book months in advance, often building entire itineraries around iconic park destinations. When Visit USA warns that the 11 affected parks are "a major driver for holiday bookings, representing a bucket list experience," they're describing travelers who spend substantial money not just at park gates but in surrounding gateway communities, hotels, restaurants, and regional airports.The 11 Parks in the Crosshairs
The surcharge applies to Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion. These aren't random selections; they're the crown jewels of the National Park System, the destinations that drive international tourism throughout the American West and beyond. For international visitors aged 16 and older, the $100 per-person fee stacks on top of existing vehicle entrance fees, typically $35 at these parks. That means a carload of four adults now faces $435 in entry fees alone for a seven-day visit to Yosemite or Yellowstone, compared to the $35 their American counterparts will pay.Policy Origins and Political Context
The fee increase stems from a July 3 executive order titled "Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks," which directed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to raise national park entry fees specifically for international visitors. The administration positioned the policy as fairness, arguing that U.S. taxpayers already fund park operations and should enjoy lower-cost access than foreign visitors. This isn't the first attempt at dramatic fee increases. In 2018, then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke proposed more than doubling entrance fees at several popular parks, pushing vehicle entry from $25 to $70 for all visitors. Public opposition killed that plan. The current approach is more politically defensible because it targets non-residents, but the economic consequences may prove equally problematic.Revenue Projections Versus Market Reality
The Interior Department's 2026 budget proposal estimated the surcharge would generate more than $90 million annually. At Yellowstone alone, projections suggested $55 million in new revenue, more than quadrupling that park's income for addressing deteriorating infrastructure, failing wastewater systems, and crumbling bridges. Those numbers assume demand remains relatively stable. But Visit USA's warnings suggest otherwise. The association notes that UK consumers may change their holiday plans for 2026 and beyond, which could significantly impact UK visitor numbers to the United States. International visitors aren't a small segment. Recent estimates put the figure at roughly 14.6 million international tourists among the record 331.8 million visits to national parks last year. Yellowstone reported that nearly 15% of its 2024 visitors came from outside the country, down from 30% in 2018, a decline that predates the new fee structure.Broader Tourism Sector Strain
The timing of this policy shift compounds existing pressures on U.S. inbound tourism. Canadian travelers, historically one of the largest sources of international visitors, have dramatically reduced trips to the United States amid political tensions and trade disputes. If UK travelers now join that boycott, the cumulative effect could ripple through gateway cities, regional airports, lodging markets, and the broader Western tourism economy. International visitors spent more than $253.9 billion on travel and tourism-related goods and services in the United States from January to December 2024. In 2022, international visitors to national parks alone contributed more than $7 billion to the U.S. economy, according to National Park Service data. That spending extends far beyond entrance fees; it supports rural economies that depend on park visitation for survival.What International Travelers Need to Know
The new fees take effect January 1, 2026. International visitors have three basic options: pay the $100 per-person surcharge at each of the 11 affected parks; purchase the $250 annual pass if planning multiple park visits; or adjust itineraries to focus on the 106 other National Park Service sites that currently charge entrance fees, none of which are subject to the international surcharge. The $250 annual pass covers entry to all NPS sites for one year, making it the better value for anyone planning to visit more than two or three of the premium parks. But for single-destination travelers, particularly families, the per-person surcharge represents a sharp cost increase that may push budget-conscious international visitors toward other U.S. destinations or other countries entirely. Fee-free days, which traditionally allowed all visitors to enter parks without charge on select dates, will continue but will not apply to international visitors under the new policy. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth have been removed from the fee-free calendar, while Flag Day and Constitution Day have been added.The Bigger Picture
This policy shift arrives as national parks struggle with major staff reductions, severe budget cuts, and revenue losses from the recent government shutdown. The National Parks Conservation Association estimated that parks lost roughly $41 million in uncollected entrance and recreation fees during the shutdown. The service has lost more than 24% of its permanent staff since January, according to the advocacy group. The administration's argument that international visitors should pay more to support infrastructure improvements isn't inherently unreasonable. But the execution, particularly the timing and the scale of the increase, risks backfiring. When a major ally's tourism industry launches petitions and warns of boycotts, that's a signal worth taking seriously. Whether the Interior Department's revenue projections hold up will depend entirely on how international travelers respond. Early signs from the UK market suggest that response may not align with government assumptions. For travelers who've spent years planning a bucket-list trip to the American West, an extra $100 per person may not be a dealbreaker. For everyone else, there are other mountains, other canyons, and other countries that want their business.About the Author
Jeff Colhoun
Jeff Colhoun is an acclaimed travel writer, photographer, and filmmaker, whose work is respected both in the United States and internationally.