 "Eiffel Tower in Paris. File Image")
France’s iconic Eiffel Tower was closed to tourists for the fourth day on Thursday as its employees extended a strike over the monument’s management.
The monument’s operator, SETE, has urged visitors to either check the Eiffel Tower’s official website before showing up or postpone their visit.
Meanwhile, existing ticket holders will be reimbursed, the operator further said.
This marks the second strike at the Eiffel Tower in two months, citing the same reason.
Critics, including unions, have voiced concerns over SETE’s business model, alleging it relies on inflated projections of future visitor counts while underestimating construction expenses.
The Eiffel Tower, Paris’s iconic landmark, typically welcomes nearly seven million visitors annually, with approximately three-quarters of them being international tourists, as per its website.
Visitor figures plummeted during the Covid pandemic due to closures and travel limitations but rebounded to 5.9 million in 2022. Anticipated visitor numbers are set to surge this summer as Paris hosts the Olympic Games.
With inputs from agencies