Immigration continues to be a focus of the Trump administration. Its latest proposal is to require travelers from some countries to post bonds, ranging from $5,000 to $15,000, to obtain visas.
The aim, says the White House, is to encourage visa compliance of visitors from countries that government data show tend to overstay their granted visit timeframes. The bond money would be returned if the traveler exits the country before visa expiration.
But another potential Trump administration fee on foreign visitors apparently is progressing without much attention.
On July 3, Trump signed an executive order directing the secretary of the Interior Department to develop a plan to increase entrance fees for foreign travelers to national parks. U.S. citizens would not face the new charges.
Current costs: There are 475 parks and other sites in the National Park Service (NPS) system, with just 106 of these outdoor recreational areas charging an entrance fee. Those fees vary from park to park.
The new increased fees would only apply to national parks and other NPS sites that already charge entrance or recreation fees.
Since summer is winding down, the effects — both positive and negative — of a new national park free for non-residents won’t be known for a while.
The Interior Department's budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 estimates that the surcharge could generate over $90 million annually, but did not go into details as to how it arrived at that figure.
Opponents of the move argue that the travel industry could take a hit if the fees discourage global visitors.
Global fees are not unusual: The Trump administration says it is time for the United States to align its facilities’ operations with similar ones worldwide that charge nonresident fees.
“I think we’re way undercharging, as a nation, for international visitors,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at a June hearing on his department’s budget by the House Committee on Natural Resources. He cited international tourist sites where Americans and other non-resident tourists are charged higher entry fees than locals.
To get into the Galapagos National Park, for example, non-Ecuadorian adults must pay a $200 cash entrance fee. The charge is $100 for children is $100. However, Ecuadorian citizens age 13 and older pay $30 for entry to the wildlife hot spot, with younger citizens charged $12.
Climate specific fee rewards: While the Trump administration is focused mainly on the foreign visitor fees’ fiscal benefits, many of the world’s other nations — and at least one U.S. state — see such tourist surcharges as a way to deal with climate change.
Deadly and environmentally destructive wildfires ravaged Lahaina, Hawaii, in August 2023 The historic town in the heart of Maui was devastated by the flames, that were sparked by drought and fanned by hurricane winds.
Earlier this year, Hawaii took enacted the United States’ first tourist tax explicitly tied to the climate crisis.
Known as the Green Fee, the bill adds an additional 0.75 percent on top of existing accommodation taxes. The fee is expected to raise $100 million annually, starting in 2026, for wildfire recovery, reef restoration.
The impetus, supporters of the measure said, was the realization that hosting 10 million visitors a year was affecting the island state. That traffic compounds the effects of increasing natural disasters, such as the Maui wildfires.
“Today Hawaii ushers in the first Green Fee in the nation. Once again, Hawaii is at the forefront of protecting our natural resources, recognizing their fundamental role in sustaining the ecological, cultural, and economic health of Hawaii,” said Aloha State Gov. Josh Green in a statement issued after his May 27 signing of the bill into law.
“As an island chain, Hawaii cannot wait for the next disaster to hit before taking action. We must build resiliency now, and the Green Fee will provide the necessary financing to ensure resources are available for our future,” added Green.
Global climate taxes on tourists: Many nations around the globe have come to the same conclusion when it comes to growing tourism and increasing climatological threats.
Greece replaced its overnight stay tax in 2024 with a Climate Crisis Resilience Fee. Visitors pay €0.50 to €10 a night (58 cents to 1.16 in U.S. dollars), depending on the hotel class and season. Popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini have their own surcharges of up to €20 ($23.14) per person during peak travel season.
The money, expected to be around €400 million ($463 million) annually, will be designated towards water infrastructure, disaster prevention, and ecosystem restoration.
Similar eco-fees have been established for international travelers to Bali, the Maldives, New Zealand.
Dr. Rachel Dodds, professor of tourism management at Toronto Metropolitan University, told the BBC that what ultimately will determine the success of these fees is how clearly they are communicated to residents and visitors.
"Tourism taxes can be an easy source of additional income to support sustainability or climate initiatives," she said. "But transparency is essential to ensure the money actually goes to those initiatives."
You also might find these items of interest:
- Tourist taxes add to international travel costs
- Pay your taxes if you're planning a trip abroad
- Amsterdam's tourist taxes likely headed higher
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