Visiting Florida’s national parks will become a little pricier for those traveling from other countries.
A new executive order from President Donald Trump will charge non-U.S. residents higher fees for national park entry and recreation passes. International visitors currently do not pay more to visit the parks than U.S. residents.
“From the awe-inspiring Grand Canyon to the tranquility of the Great Smoky Mountains, America’s national parks have provided generations of American families with unforgettable memories,” Trump said in the July 3 order.
“It is the policy of my Administration to preserve these opportunities for American families in future generations by increasing entry fees for foreign tourists, improving affordability for United States residents, and expanding opportunities to enjoy America’s splendid national treasures.”
These changes come as the Trump administration also proposed cutting the National Park Service’s staffing budgets and service operations by 30%, according to NPR.
What to know about the order and Florida’s national parks.
Why is the Trump Administration increasing National Park entrance fees for foreigners?
The executive order calls for giving Americans “preferential treatment with respect to any remaining recreational access rules, including permitting or lottery rules.”
According to an analysis by SFGate, approximately 14.6 million international visitors visited U.S. national parks last year. The Trump Administration states that increasing fees for foreign visitors will ensure fairness.
“American citizens fund national parks and public lands with their tax dollars, yet they are currently charged the same rate as foreign visitors who do not pay taxes, meaning that American citizens pay more to see their own national treasures than foreign visitors do,” the order says. “President Trump is ending this unfair situation and putting Americans first.”
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum also echoed the administration’s goals in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
How much money is the new National Park Service fee expected to bring in?
The Department of the Interior’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 states that these increases are expected to bring in more than $90 million.
The exact amount of these fees is unknown. According to SFGate, the necessary surcharge to reach this budget goal would be approximately $6 per person, if it attracts the same number of visitors as in 2024.
Any revenue generated by higher fees from foreign tourists will be reinvested into infrastructure improvements and other enhancements across federal recreation sites, according to USA TODAY.
According to The Hill, these price hikes apply only to those parks that charge entrance or recreation pass fees. Currently, only 106 of the 475 sites managed by the National Park Service charge an entrance fee, which includes two of Florida’s parks.
What is the ‘America the Beautiful’ pass? Prices increase for foreigners as well
The order will also increase prices for noncitizens purchasing the yearlong America the Beautiful pass, which grants access to public lands across federal agencies.
The pass costs $80 for “everyone” right now, with a senior annual pass costing $20 and a lifetime senior pass costing $80. It is free for certain groups, including military personnel, veterans and volunteers.
As of July 2025, the administration has not revealed the cost of the pass for international visitors.
Order revokes diversity directives from the Obama era
The executive order also rescinds a presidential memorandum signed by then-President Barack Obama in 2017 that promoted a range of diversity and inclusion efforts in the management of national parks and other public lands.
It called for improving access for all Americans and “considering recommendations and proposals from diverse populations to protect at-risk historic, cultural, and natural sites.”
How many national parks are in Florida?
There are three national parks located toward the southern end of Florida: Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park, and Biscayne National Park.
Additionally, there are several national preserves, seashores, monuments, and memorials within the state:
How many tourists visit Florida’s National Park Service lands? How much do they spend?
An aerial view of Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles west of Key West on February 7, 2022.
According to the National Park Service website, Florida saw approximately 13.3 million park visitors spend an estimated $871 million in local gateway regions while visiting its National Park Service in 2023.
“These expenditures supported a total of 12.1 thousand jobs, $458 million in labor income, $777 million in value added, and $1.4 billion in economic output in the Florida economy,” the website states.
The statistics were not broken down by domestic or foreign visitors.
Visitor spending around Biscayne National Park totaled $42.1 million, Dry Tortugas National Park about $5.9 million, and Everglades National Park about $121 million.
Contributing: Eve Chen, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Florida’s national parks: Foreign visitors will now pay more to enter