(AFP) – France’s Eiffel Tower will reopen on Sunday after being closed for five days due to a strike, after the monument’s management announced it had reached an agreement with the union.
The suspension since Monday at one of the world’s most famous tourist destinations is the second in two months to protest what unions say is insufficient investment.
SETE, the tower’s operator, announced on Saturday that it had reached an agreement with the union, stating: “Under this, the parties will regularly monitor the company’s business model, construction investments and revenues through a body that meets every six months. “is what happened.
The two sides agreed to invest around 380 million euros in construction and maintenance of the tower by 2031, with the aim of breaking even by 2025, the statement said.
SETE has apologized to the visitors who were caught up in the strike action, which resulted in the loss of approximately 100,000 visitors.
The Eiffel Tower posted a shortfall of about 120 million euros ($130 million) during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
SETE has since received a €60 million capital increase, which unions claim is insufficient given the extensive maintenance work required, including new paint.
The number of visitors plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic due to closures and travel restrictions, but it rebounded to 5.9 million in 2022 and 6.3 million last year.
This masterpiece by architect Gustave Eiffel has been repainted 19 times since it was built for the 1889 World’s Fair.
