The Eiffel Tower is closed due to a staff strike.

In a statement, the left-wing CGT alliance said the strike commemorated the 100th anniversary of the death of engineer Gustave Eiffel, who built the tower, and was aimed at protesting “the current management.”

The Eiffel Tower in Paris on December 23, 2023. Photo: AFP

CGT said the management was operating the Eiffel Tower on an "overly ambitious and unsustainable" business model, and the alliance said the tower's operator, SETE, had inflated estimates of future visitor numbers while underestimating construction costs.

SETE apologized to travelers for the incident and advised anyone with e-tickets on Wednesday to “check their email” for more information about their booking.

The Eiffel Tower – Paris's most famous landmark – attracts nearly 7 million visitors each year, about three-quarters of whom are foreigners, according to the tower's website.

During the Covid pandemic, the number of visitors dropped sharply due to the tower's closure and travel restrictions, but the number recovered to 5.9 million in 2022.

CGT said the tower management is basing its future budget on 7.4 million annual visitors, although "this level has never been reached."

The engineer Gustave Eiffel, who built the tower, died on December 27, 1923.

Mai Vân (according to CNA)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/thap-eiffel-dong-cua-vi-nhan-vien-dinh-cong-post278799.html