New 'America-First' Policy

WASHINGTON D.C. – The United States government has announced a substantial increase in entrance fees for international visitors to its national parks, set to take effect from Wednesday, 1 January 2026. In a move described as an "America-first" policy, the U.S. Department of the Interior confirmed on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, that the cost for an annual park pass for non-residents will more than triple, rising from $80 to $250. For tourists paying per visit, a new $100 surcharge per person will be levied on top of standard entrance fees at 11 of the most popular parks, including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Yosemite.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated the price hike is intended to ensure "international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations." He added that the policy ensures U.S. taxpayers, who already support the park system, continue to have affordable access. The annual pass for U.S. residents, known as the "America the Beautiful" pass, will remain at its current price of $80. The department also announced new commemorative pass designs for 2026 featuring former President Donald Trump and designated several "resident-only patriotic fee-free days," including Mr. Trump's birthday on 14 June.

Impact on Kenyan Travellers

The new fee structure presents a significant new cost for Kenyan citizens planning trips to the United States. The U.S. is Kenya's leading source of international visitors, with 306,501 arrivals in 2024, and tourism flows are bidirectional. For a Kenyan family of four visiting one of the designated top-tier parks, the new surcharge alone would amount to $400 (approximately KSh 52,000 at current exchange rates), in addition to regular entry costs. This financial barrier could impact the growing number of Kenyan tourists who travel to the U.S. for leisure, business, and to visit family.

According to data from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office, visitor arrivals from Kenya have been steadily recovering post-pandemic, reaching 1,912 in March 2025. The Kenya Tourism Board has ambitious targets to grow arrivals from the U.S. by 32% in the 2025/26 financial year, a strategy that relies on strong bilateral travel relations. While the fee hike applies to outbound Kenyan tourists, it introduces a new dynamic into the tourism relationship between the two nations.

A Familiar Conservation Model

The U.S. policy of charging non-residents significantly more for access to natural treasures is a model that Kenya itself has employed for decades. The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) maintains a tiered pricing system for its national parks and reserves, which distinguishes between East African citizens, Kenyan residents, citizens of other African nations, and other non-residents. For instance, under the fee structure implemented on 1 October 2025, an adult East African citizen pays KSh 1,500 to enter Amboseli National Park, while a non-resident pays $90 (approximately KSh 11,700). Similarly, entry to Nairobi National Park costs a citizen KSh 1,000, whereas a non-resident is charged $80 (approximately KSh 10,400).

This dual pricing strategy is a common tool in global tourism, often justified as a way for host countries to fund conservation efforts while keeping sites accessible to their own taxpayers. Proponents argue it ensures that the financial burden of maintaining world-class natural attractions, which face immense pressure from international tourism, is shared more equitably. However, the practice can also be perceived as discriminatory and potentially deter some travellers.

Global Tourism and Conservation Funding

The American policy shift brings the world's largest economy in line with a conservation funding model prevalent across many developing nations. The revenue generated from the new fees will be invested directly back into U.S. national parks to support facility upgrades and essential maintenance. This mirrors the justification used by KWS, which sought to increase its fees to close a significant annual funding gap for conservation and infrastructure projects. While the U.S. move is framed within a nationalist "America-First" rhetoric, it underscores a global challenge: how to sustainably manage and fund iconic natural sites in an era of mass tourism. For Kenyan travellers, a visit to America's famed canyons and forests will now come at a price point that is, ironically, very familiar.