Trump Raises National Park Prices for Foreign Tourists in New Executive Order
President Donald Trump Raises National Park Prices has signed a new executive order that makes it more expensive for people from other countries to visit national parks. The move, which was announced on Thursday, July 3, is part of his larger “America First” tourism policy. The government says that the extra money will help improve park services and infrastructure without raising costs for Americans.
Trump talked about the choice at a rally that day. He said, “I’ve signed an executive order to raise entrance fees for foreign tourists while keeping prices low for Americans.” This is to pay for improvements and make the park system better for everyone. “The national parks will be about America First.”
The administration says that this change will make the experience better for visitors. But this comes at a time when the White House is thinking about cutting the National Park Service’s budget by more than $1 billion. Officials think that the higher fees for people who don’t live in the U.S. could bring in more than $90 million a year. That money might help fill the gap in funding.
Trump told Doug Burgum, the Secretary of the Interior, to come up with a plan for making money. This will mean raising the fees for nonresidents to get into parks that already charge admission. But the order doesn’t say how much the fees will be or when they will be due. The Interior Department is in charge of those choices.
“Preferential Treatment” for U.S. Citizens
Another key element of the order gives American citizens “preferential treatment” when entering national parks. While many parks charge admission, others do not. Trump’s directive allows for different pricing based on visitor type and park location.
Also, the order gets rid of a 2017 order from former President Barack Obama. That law was meant to make the parks system more diverse, fair, and welcoming. Some people say that taking it away could make it harder for people who aren’t well-known to get to it. Trump’s team says that the main goals should be efficiency and sustainability.
The National Parks Conservation Association says that the number of permanent employees at the Park Service has dropped by 24%. It has become harder to keep up park standards because of rising costs and budget cuts. There is more and more pressure on the service to do more with less.
Trump wants to close the budget gap by raising the prices foreigners have to freaky at national parks. But it’s not clear if the change will make the park better or make people less likely to travel abroad. The administration is hoping that Americans will back the change, especially if it keeps parks affordable for families in the area..
