Eiffel Tower Reopens Following Staff Strike on Monday

The Eiffel Tower reopened on Tuesday morning, Sept. 8, the day after a staff walkout abruptly closed the iconic landmark to all tourists.

Staff working the Eiffel Tower went on an impromptu strike on Monday to protest the removal of female colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group. According to France’s AFP, a Hindu delegation had requested that the group have limited interactions with women, and SETE, the company that staffs the Eiffel Tower, said that the request should not have been accepted.

The move drew swift backlash across France. Paris Mayor Emmanuel Grégoire called the decision unacceptable and ordered an official investigation. Both SETE and the BAPS organization issued public apologies, with BAPS stating it never intended to deny access or cause harm, while SETE leadership admitted the group’s conditions violated company values and should have been rejected outright.

The single-day closure forced thousands of travelers to adjust plans at the world’s most-visited ticketed monument, which draws roughly 6.3 million visitors annually, which is an average of between 15,000 and 25,000 visitors per day. American travelers represent the largest international market for the landmark, accounting for approximately 13% of the total visitors.