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Unions of the operating company of the Eiffel Tower, the CGT and Force Ouvriere say the city, which owns 99 percent of the tower, has underestimated costs and overestimated revenues. (Image: AFP)
Workers in France’s Eiffel Tower are protesting over the way the monument is being managed financially.
The Eiffel Tower, one of the world’s top tourist attractions, was closed Monday after staff went on strike, unions told AFP.
VIDEO: The Eiffel Tower in Paris, one of the world’s top tourist attractions, is closed after staff went on strike. The strike, which was called to protest over the way the monument is managed financially, could be extended, unions say pic.twitter.com/F7e6hWUpuR— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 20, 2024
The strike, which was called to protest over the way the monument is managed financially, could be extended, they said.
The tower’s operator, SETE, said on its website that “visits of the monument will be disrupted on Monday”.
It advised ticket holders to check its website before showing up, or to postpone their visit. E-ticket holders were asked to check their e-mails for further information.
The stoppage is the second strike at the Eiffel Tower within two months for the same reason.
Unions have criticised operator SETE for its business model that they say is based on an inflated estimate of future visitor numbers, while under-estimating construction costs.
The Eiffel Tower — Paris’s most famous landmark — attracts nearly seven million visitors a year, around three-quarters of them foreigners, according to its website.
During the Covid pandemic numbers dropped sharply due to closures and travel restrictions, but recovered to 5.9 million in 2022.
Visitor numbers to Paris are expected to swell this summer as the French capital hosts the Olympic Games.
In a joint statement, the CGT and FO unions called on the city of Paris “to be reasonable with their financial demands to ensure the survival of the monument and the company operating it”.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)
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