Paris’ Pompidou Center is well-known in the French crucifixes as the third most visited attractions, but it will now undergo a transformative hiatus that will last for five years.
This means that travelers will not be permitted to visit the center during this period. Once the center opens its doors in 2030, tourists will be allowed to visit once more.
The closure
An extensive renovation initiative has necessitated the imminent closure, which is aimed at breathing new life into the Center Pompidou.
According to reports, the closure will begin in 2025 and last till 2030. There are excellent galleries in the heart of the center, a culinary gem and a library that serves as a literary haven.
There will be meticulous construction and repair efforts that will transform these distinctive features during the extensive revitalization process.
Rima Abdul Malak, the Minister of Culture in France, revealed that the estimated cost of this ambitious venture is around €260 million.
The closure of the Center had initially been expected in September last year, but there was a strategic shift in the plans.
This resulted in deferring the shutdown of the Center Pompidou until after the Summer Olympics that are scheduled to happen in Paris in 2024 come to an end.
The tourists
French authorities had previously reported that more than a million tourists are expected to visit Paris during the 2024 Olympics.
A diverse assembly of people will visit the city, which include 206 delegations, 4,400 para-athletes and 10,500 athletes.
There will also be a total of 39 competition venues that will span from July 26 to August 11th. Statista, a German statistical platform, revealed that the Île-de-France region and Paris will see a revival of tourist arrivals.
The number of tourist arrivals in 2022 almost doubled from 2021, which marked a significant rebound from the negative impacts that had been seen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More details
According to statistics, almost 19.4 million foreign and 24.7 million domestic tourists had flocked to Île-de-France and Paris.
While there is a prominent resurgence in these numbers, they are still behind the peak figures recorded back in 2019 when 22.2 million international and 28.4 million domestic tourists had been recorded.
In addition, Paris hoteliers have also expressed concerns recently over the proposal of the government to triple tourist tax on hotel nights during the Olympic period.
According to the government, the 200% increase in tax would be used for supporting public transport. For basic accommodations, this tourist tax is €0.25, while high-end establishments charge €5 per night.
As part of the 2024 budget, this tax is expected to triple and the authorities want to pass this through the parliament.
In addition, France has also become the first member of the EU to have switched to a completely online system for issuing the French Schengen visa.
Moreover, almost 70,000 applicants who are participating in the 2024 Olympics will be issued digital visas
