ABA remains actively engaged with Congress, the Administration, and industry stakeholders to ensure the reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA)—the landmark bipartisan law that created dedicated funding to address long-overdue maintenance backlogs in national parks and other public lands—strengthens America’s parks without creating unintended barriers for the commercial tour operators who bring millions of visitors to those destinations each year.
As part of that ongoing advocacy, ABA joined a broad coalition of national travel and tourism organizations in a letter this week to House Natural Resources Committee leadership, urging lawmakers not to include provisions in GAOA 250 that would codify the recently implemented international visitor surcharge or create new commercial group entrance fees at national parks.
ABA has been working closely with peer associations, Department of the Interior (DOI) officials, National Park Service (NPS) leadership, and congressional offices for nearly a year on practical solutions that protect park funding goals while preserving access for commercial group travel. Throughout those conversations, ABA has consistently emphasized that commercial tours are a critical driver of visitation and economic activity in gateway communities—supporting hotels, restaurants, attractions, and small businesses in park communities across the country.
“Operators report that even modest fee increases are likely to reduce bookings—particularly among international travelers—while higher operating costs are already forcing businesses to reevaluate itineraries, reduce national park visits, or shift travelers to alternative destinations.”
Callie Hoyt, ABA
Recent feedback from ABA tour operator members reinforces those concerns. Operators report that even modest fee increases are likely to reduce bookings—particularly among international travelers—while higher operating costs are already forcing businesses to reevaluate itineraries, reduce national park visits, or shift travelers to alternative destinations. Those changes not only affect operators but also threaten the local economies that depend on park tourism.
ABA strongly supports long-term investment in America’s public lands and wants to be a constructive partner in advancing GAOA reauthorization. At the same time, ABA will continue working with policymakers and stakeholder partners to ensure any final legislation avoids policies that could undermine commercial tour operations, reduce visitation, and weaken the very revenue and economic activity our national parks and surrounding communities rely on.
ABA will keep members informed as discussions continue and remains committed to advocating for workable, industry-informed solutions that support both our national parks and the businesses that help Americans and international visitors experience them.