Outside Insight

On July 7 of 2007, the New7Wonders organization named the new 7 wonders of the world. As I understand this was done because many of the previous 7 wonders were already disappearing! The finalists list for this long over-due update was not a result of any scientific research or anything like that: the new 7 wonders were elected after 90 million people from around the world voted online.

So for all those travel-ites these are the new 7 wonders of the world!
- The Great Wall, China
- Petra, Jordan
- Christ Redeemer, Brazil
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
- The Roman Coliseum, Italy
- The Taj Mahal, India

So now when you make plans to visit these places take some time to learn how tourism affects and deteriorates these places and their communities and then how you can avoid making this kind of negative impact. Do your homework and find out what things you should not do that you don’t already know to not do. Obviously, as visitors, there will be cultural aspects to observe and be respectful of. Generally speaking, tourism - aside from being an economic advantage for businesses and government - is also known to bring such things as drugs, prostitution and pollution to otherwise simple but culturally healthy communities. Please do your part in helping to preserve these wonders and their surrounding communities.

In the same manner, hopefully governments and law enforcing entities will do their part in implementing fitting regulations for this new level of international attention and tourism potential.

You can hear an interview with the New7Wonders organization here.

What is your world wonder??