How is that for timing: only 17 days after I asked you in the article as to whether attractions in the United States should charge different fees for non-residents, the current president of the United States signed an executive order for foreigners to pay higher entrance fees to national parks in the United States.
Foreigners to Pay Higher Entrance Fees to National Parks in the United States
According to the executive order that was signed by Donald J. Trump, the revenue from increased fees to be paid by foreign tourists will raise hundreds of millions of dollars for conservation projects that improve our national parks by:
- Charging higher entrance fees to foreign tourists, which is a common policy at national parks throughout the world that supports both conservation and affordable access for residents.
- Increasing entry fees at national parks for foreign visitors in order to fuel investment in national parks throughout the United States, which will:
- Reduce the maintenance backlog.
- Construct critical infrastructure improvements.
- Support conservation projects that improve the national parks.
- Increasing fees for foreign visitors will also ensure fairness. Citizens of the United States 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 citizens of the United States pay more to see their own national treasures than foreign visitors do.
Final Boarding Call
“If an admission fee or other fee is to be charged, I believe that every adult person should pay the same fee — regardless of residence”, I wrote in the aforementioned article. “Some exceptions to that policy may be considered; but a uniform fee is simply easier.”
Then again, I republished this article pertaining to The Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt on Saturday, July 5, 2025 in which the cost of admission to see both the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza is 700 Egyptian pounds per person — or approximately $14.18 in United States dollars. If you are a student, you are eligible to pay 350 Egyptian pounds — or approximately $7.09. Cars and taxi cabs are charged 25 Egyptian pounds — or approximately $0.51…
…but what I did not mention in that article is that the cost of admission to see both the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx of Giza for both Egyptians and Arabs is only 60 Egyptian pounds per person — or approximately $1.22 in United States dollars. Students who are either Egyptians or Arabs are eligible to pay 30 Egyptian pounds — or approximately $0.61.
Am I the only person who finds that unfair?
Regardless, I had no idea that this executive order was even being considered — let alone going into effect — but I see nothing in the executive order that suggests that entrance fees for national parks will be reduced for citizens of the United States. Perhaps this initiative is to stall an increase in those fees for citizens of the United States…?!?
All photographs ©2020 by Brian Cohen.
