Eiffel Tower Remains Closed

UPDATE Feb 22, 2024 1:35 PM CST

Visitors who hoped to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris on Thursday were out of luck for the fourth consecutive day. The landmark remains closed amid a labor strike over allegations of financial mismanagement, reports the New York Times. Given that the stoppage comes just months ahead of the Summer Olympics in Paris, concerns are growing that the dispute will only grow more protracted.

Feb 19, 2024 12:37 PM CST

Visitors to the Eiffel Tower were turned away on Monday because of a strike over the financial management of one of the world's most-visited sites. A sign was posted at the entrance in English, saying: "Due to a strike, the Eiffel Tower is closed. We apologize." The landmark's operator also said on its website that visits to the Eiffel Tower will be disrupted on Tuesday. "We're a little disappointed but we understand that people deserve a fair wage and they deserve proper working conditions," said Marisa Solis, an American tourist visiting Paris from New York City tells the AP.

Stephane Dieu of the CGT union, which represents a large number of the Eiffel Tower's employees, said the strike is aimed in part at a salary increase in proportion to revenue from ticket sales. The union also says the tower operator's business model is flawed because it relies on inflated ticket estimates and underestimates the cost of needed renovations. "They are giving priority to short-term benefits over long-term conservation of the monument," said Dieu. The city of Paris, which owns the tower, denies it is being improperly managed by the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel.

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The Eiffel Tower is typically open 365 days a year, though Monday's closure is the second in two months due to strikes. In December, it was closed to visitors for an entire day during Christmas and New Year's holidays because of a strike over contract negotiations. The 1083-foot tower in central Paris has seen soaring visitor numbers in the lead-up to the Summer Olympics in the French capital.

(More Eiffel Tower stories.)