American Bus Association and leading tourism associations urge Trump administration to rethink approach

Great Smoky Mountains, Grand Canyon, Zion, and Yellowstone – these iconic national parks draw millions of visitors from around the world every summer.

In 2023 alone, visitors to U.S. national parks spent over $26.4 billion in nearby communities, supporting more than 415,000 jobs, $19.4 billion in labor income, and generating $55.6 billion in total economic output. This economic boom, largely driven by international travelers, is now at risk just as the summer travel season kicks off.

The 2026 Department of the Interior budget proposal calls for the National Park Service to impose a surcharge on foreign visitors, estimated to generate more than $90 million.

Approximately one-third of all international visitors to the United States – around 14 million people – include national parks in their travel plans. Their spending sustains small businesses, tour companies, restaurants, hotels, and transportation services. For many rural communities, especially those near park lands, this tourism is not a bonus – it is a lifeline.

Rather than raising prices on international travelers and sending the wrong message to our global guests, the Department of the Interior should consider more forward-looking strategies—such as offering discounted or free admission for domestic visitors in honor of America’s 250th anniversary. This could include an emphasis on lesser-known yet equally spectacular parks.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has already launched the Great American Road Trip initiative to encourage domestic travel and showcase our country’s landscapes and heritage. Aligning National Park Service policy with this initiative – by incentivizing domestic visitation instead of penalizing international travelers – would strengthen small businesses, boost local tourism, and celebrate our national parks as unifying symbols of American identity.

Beyond Borders Tourism Coalition is a unified alliance of leading U.S. and Canadian tourism associations led by the American Bus Association, which has voiced strong opposition to this proposal.

Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA)
American Bus Association (ABA)
Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO)
International Inbound Travel Association (IITA)
National Tour Association (NTA)
Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA)
United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA)

image: nicolasintravel–unsplash