Europe’s most popular park opens doors
PARIS – The French tourist industry received a boost Wednesday in the partial reopening of Disneyland Paris and the opening of the top floor of the Eiffel Tower.
Disneyland Paris, Europe’s mostfrequented theme park resort, partially reopened to the public Wednesday, four months after it closed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The park in Marne-la-Vallee, to the east of the French capital, will feature enhanced safety measures, including managed attendance, reduced capacity to support social distancing and bolstered cleaning and disinfection of rides and spaces.
The Eiffel Tower, a 19th-century iron monument that is one of the French capital’s most-visited attractions, partially reopened its first two floors June 26 after its longest closure since World War II.
Eiffel Tower officials said a maximum of 250 people will be allowed on the top floor at a time to enjoy the panoramic views of the City of Light.
The monument’s managing director Patrick Branco Ruivo remained upbeat about the short-term future for tourism at the Eiffel Tower and Paris.
“Last year, during the same period we welcomed 23,000 people every day. When we opened the Eiffel Tower, the first weekend, we welcomed 5,000 people ... and last weekend 10,000 people. That’s why, for us, we are optimistic for this summer even if the conditions are different . ... It’s a message of hope about COVID-19.”
Damien Testard, 37, from the Paris suburbs, said he was “delighted” about his trip to the Eiffel Tower Wednesday – one that was “without too many people.”
Paris brings in more than 30 million tourists a year, and in 2018, France recorded nearly 90 million overnight arrivals from visitors and tourists.