Olympics candidate Paris announced a 45 percent increase in funding to upgrade the Eiffel Tower as it gears up its bid to host the 2024 Olympics.Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to “highlight the Eiffel Tower even further, to make it a flawless showcase of the Parisian welcome,” city hall said in a statement. The announcement comes as the city is competing with Budapest and Los Angeles to host the 2024 Olympic Games. The Eiffel Tower plan, to be submitted for approval to the city council at the end of the month, includes stepping up security, modernising ticketing facilities and improving the visitor experience. The 15-year plan is now projected to cost 300 million euros ($318 million) overall, for an annual outlay of 20 million euros, up from 13.7 million euros. The Eiffel Tower, inaugurated for the 1889 equivalent of the World Expo, is the world’s most visited paying monument, taking in some six million visitors each year.

Source: Daily News Egypt January 16, 2017 13:04 UTC