National Parks Turn to Boardwalks, Shuttles, and Reservations to Manage Overtourism
With a staggering 4.5 million visitors last year, national parks such as Banff are experiencing unprecedented crowds, leading park officials to implement new conservation and accessibility measures. The Canada Strong Pass, which allows free entry from June to September, has exacerbated the issue of overcrowding. Experts, including Jonathan Jarvis, a former director of the US National Park Service, recommend various strategies like boardwalks, promoting less frequented areas, shuttle services, reservations for high-demand sites, local guides, and a dual-pricing model for international guests. Additionally, the Trump administration's move to abolish timed entry at most US parks, excluding Rocky Mountain National Park, has drawn criticism. Currently, non-residents face a $100 fee to access popular parks, underscoring the difficulty of balancing visitor access with conservation efforts.
Key facts
- Banff National Park broke records with 4.5 million visitors last year, a 30% increase in a decade.
- Canada Strong Pass made entry into all Canadian national parks free from June to September.
- Jonathan Jarvis, former director of the US National Park Service, consults for national park systems worldwide.
- Snowies Alpine Walk in Australia's Kosciuszko National Park uses steel mesh and wooden boardwalks to protect rare alpine grasses.
- Salt Creek Boardwalk in Death Valley National Park protects rare pupfish.
- Parks Canada's Red Chair campaign places Adirondack chairs at over 100 sites across Canada.
- Zion Canyon Shuttle System has moved over 100 million people since 2000.
- Trump administration scrapped timed entry at most US national parks in February, except Rocky Mountain National Park.
- US National Park Service began charging non-residents $100 to visit 11 top parks.
- User fees cover more than 50% of the budget for national park systems in many African nations.
Entities
Artists
- Albert Bierstadt
- John Muir
Institutions
- Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
- Banff National Park
- Parks Canada
- US National Park Service
- Kruger National Park
- Doñana National Park
- Kosciuszko National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Mount Rainier National Park
- Gros Morne National Park
- Acadia National Park
- Lake District National Park
- Bavarian Forest National Park
- Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park
- Machu Picchu National Archaeological Park
- Parc National des Calanques
- Rocky Mountain National Park
- Yellowstone
- Grand Canyon
- Volcanoes National Park
- Yala National Park
- Parque Nacional da Serra dos Órgãos
- Mount Kenya
- Monocle
Locations
- Lake Louise
- Canada
- Banff
- Barcelona
- Kyoto
- Venice
- South Africa
- Spain
- Australia
- United States
- Utah
- Maine
- UK
- Germany
- Japan
- Switzerland
- Peru
- Newfoundland
- Marseille
- Nepal
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- Indonesia
- Uganda
- Rwanda
- Sri Lanka
- Argentina
- Thailand
- Ottawa
- Rio de Janeiro
Sources
- Monocle —