A recent report by the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) explores how international visitors to U.S. national parks could contribute additional revenue needed for maintenance and care of these sites. The report suggests that a modest surcharge on entry fees for international tourists could significantly boost funding.

Currently, the National Park Service is facing challenges in maintaining its infrastructure due to a stagnant budget, despite an increase in visitor numbers. The system requires approximately $22 billion for overdue maintenance and repairs. An estimated 14 million international visitors come to U.S. national park sites each year. By imposing a $25 surcharge on these visitors, the park system could raise about $330 million, almost doubling its recreation fee revenue.

The report titled "How Overseas Visitors Can Help Steward Our National Parks" compares the U.S. model with those of other countries and provides recommendations for implementing such a surcharge.

Charging higher fees to overseas visitors is a common practice in many national park systems worldwide. This approach could help U.S. parks address maintenance issues and improve visitor experiences without significantly affecting visitation rates from international travelers, as entry fees are only a small part of their overall trip expenses.

U.S. state land managers already charge non-residents more for hunting and fishing licenses than residents pay, highlighting an existing precedent for differential pricing based on residency status. International visitors currently pay less than U.S. citizens at national parks since they do not contribute through taxes that support the park system.

Brian Yablonski, CEO of PERC, stated: “By implementing a common-sense international surcharge for entry into our national parks, just as other nations do, we can better take care of America’s crown jewels.” He emphasized that this would provide necessary resources to manage these public lands effectively for future generations.