This article was originally published in the Arizona Republic.
At the start of 2026, the Grand Canyon National Park received a gift that will outlast any season: a more durable way to protect one of Earth’s greatest natural wonders. The gift didn’t arrive wrapped under the tree, but rather by plane and tour bus: travelers from Europe, Asia, and distant corners of the globe, drawn to a landscape that defies description.
Beginning New Years day, those international visitors will be asked to contribute a bit more to help care for the place they traveled so far to see. Under a new policy, overseas visitors to some of the nation’s most popular parks, including the Grand Canyon, will pay a $100 surcharge on top of the base entrance fee.
With an estimated 30-40 percent of annual visitors coming from overseas, some gateway communities worry this change could deter visitors and hurt local economies. The evidence suggests the opposite. This surcharge is a smart investment in the Grand Canyon and in the Arizona communities that depend on it.
International visitors already demonstrate just how much they value America’s national parks. At the Grand Canyon, roughly one and a half million visitors each year come from other countries. They fill hotels in Tusayan, Williams, and Flagstaff, eat at local restaurants, book guides, and support thousands of jobs across northern Arizona.
A 2025 study from the Property and Environment Research Center (PERC) modeled the economic impact of an international visitor surcharge at Yellowstone National Park. It provides a clear benchmark for what the Grand Canyon can expect. Like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone is a world-famous destination with significant international visitation. Yellowstone welcomes roughly 600,000 to 700,000 overseas visitors each year, about 15 percent of total visitation.
Using Yellowstone data, PERC modeled the effects of a $100 international visitor surcharge. The results are striking, finding that it would generate approximately $55 million in additional annual revenue at Yellowstone alone, nearly four times the park’s current entrance fee revenue. At the same time, the impact on visitation would be small. Total visitation was projected to decline by only about 1.3 percent, entirely from overseas visitors.
The reason is simple. For international travelers, park entrance fees are a tiny share of total trip costs. The average overseas visitor to Yellowstone spends about $4,500 on their trip. Against that backdrop, a $100 surcharge barely moves the needle.
Compared with Yellowstone, an even larger share of Grand Canyon visitors come from abroad. Applying Yellowstone’s findings suggests the Grand Canyon could generate tens of millions of dollars annually in new revenue while seeing little meaningful drop in visitation.
That revenue could not come at a more important time.
Aging infrastructure at the Grand Canyon is no longer an abstract concern. It is already disrupting visitors and hurting local economies. The most visible example is the Transcanyon Waterline, a 12.5 mile system built in the 1960s that supplies water to the South Rim. The waterline has exceeded its expected lifespan and fails frequently, requiring constant and expensive repairs.
Earlier this month, a series of major breaks left no water being pumped to the South Rim, forcing the indefinite closure of all major park hotels, including El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, Maswik Lodge, and Yavapai Lodge. Overnight visitors disappeared overnight, and gateway communities are undoubtedly feeling the impact already.
A $208 million rehabilitation project—funded partly by visitors fees—is underway and expected to be completed in 2027, but the lesson is clear. Awe has an upkeep cost. Without reliable funding to maintain water systems, roads, trails, wastewater facilities, and employee housing, tourist icons like the Grand Canyon can quickly be brought to a standstill.
This is where the international visitor surcharge matters. Under federal law, 80 percent of entrance fee revenue stays in the park where it is collected. That means money paid by international visitors at the Grand Canyon will largely be reinvested directly into Grand Canyon National Park. Park managers can use it for maintenance, visitor services, staffing, and capital projects without waiting for political gridlock in Washington.
For gateway communities, this stability is not a threat. It is an economic safeguard. Well-maintained infrastructure keeps hotels open, trails accessible, and visitors flowing through local businesses year after year.
There is also nothing unusual about this approach. Around the world, iconic destinations routinely charge higher fees to non-citizens. From the Galapagos Islands to South Africa’s Kruger National Park, international visitors pay more and do so willingly, knowing their contributions help protect globally significant places. Even within the United States, state parks and wildlife agencies regularly charge higher fees to out-of-state users.
For Arizona’s gateway communities, the long-term equation is simple. Visitors come because the Grand Canyon is safe, accessible, and unforgettable. Investing in reliable water systems, well-maintained roads, and visitor facilities protects that reputation. PERC’s Yellowstone research shows that asking international visitors to contribute a little more can generate substantial resources without driving them away.
The Grand Canyon is a gift to the world. It is also a responsibility. The new international visitor surcharge is not about closing the gates to global tourists. It is about keeping them open, sustaining the park, and supporting the communities that rely on this extraordinary place. That is a win for the Grand Canyon, for northern Arizona, and for everyone who loves America’s national parks.
