The Great Pyramid of Giza is revealed as the new wonder of the world that lost the most revenue ($12.8 billion) due to Covid-19
The quietest wonder of the world to visit, with a 77% drop in visitors from 2019, is Komodo in Indonesia
Beirut in Lebanon -one of the top city wonders- had the biggest revenue loss over Covid-19, losing $12.9 billion since 2019
ETIAS.com has analysed all the wonders of the world – from ancient, new, to city-based, and natural – and collated visitor numbers as well as revenue loss from Covid-19 to reveal the best ones to visit in 2022. You can view the full research here.
The wonders of the world are often discussed by travellers from around the globe with an interest in ticking these amazing places off their bucket lists. The ancient wonders of the world still remain a mystery to the modern world as they no longer exist, apart from the Pyramids of course.
Following the loss of these historic monuments, the world voted for new modern-day wonders. This year – despite the travel industry still being hit by Covid-19, and lots of countries still in lockdown – some people have managed to explore the world and embark on foreign travel. But, lots of people have also perhaps put travelling and ticking off their bucket list destinations on hold until next year.
So, which wonder of the world should they visit, and where are they located?
The new wonders of the world – which have been collated by the New7Wonders foundation after a global poll was conducted – are dotted in various locations across the globe. The Great Wall of China in China, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Colosseum in Italy were voted as the top three wonders to visit.
Following those wonders, Christ the Redeemer in Brazil, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Machu Picchu in Peru, Petra in Jordan, and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt are also noted as new wonders.
Where all the wonders in the world are:
If visiting the likes of a waterfall, rainforest, or embarking on a journey around a UNESCO World Heritage Site is of interest, then a natural wonder (as opposed to a man-made one) is the answer.
Table 1: The top natural wonders of the world
|
Rank |
Natural wonder |
Country |
|
1 |
Amazon Rainforest |
Brazil |
|
2 |
Jeju Island |
South Korea |
|
3 |
Ha Long Bay |
Vietnam |
|
4 |
Iguazu Falls |
Argentina |
|
5 |
Table Mountain |
South Africa |
|
6 |
Komodo |
Indonesia |
|
7 |
Puerto Princesa Underground River |
Philippines |
Not everyone wants to embark on a long journey across the globe just to visit just one wonder – despite them being magnificent. Often, visiting an entire city is of interest, and if they’re considered a ‘wonder’ then it’s even more of an appeal to wanderlusters.
Table 2: The top city wonders of the world:
|
Rank |
City wonder |
Country |
|
1 |
Kuala Lumpur |
Malaysia |
|
2 |
Durban |
South Africa |
|
3 |
Havana |
Cuba |
|
4 |
Beirut |
Lebanon |
|
5 |
Doha |
Qatar |
|
6 |
Vigan |
Philippines |
|
7 |
La Paz |
Bolivia |
As travel starts to pick up again, many people will be looking to visit these wonders to tick something off their bucket list. However, despite Covid-19 vaccinations and social distancing, some people may be apprehensive still. Although visitor numbers of attractions dropped from 2019 in comparison to 2020, numbers are beginning to increase again this year.
Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, and Jeju Island in South Korea only had a 10% and 27% (retrospective) drop in visitor numbers in 2020 compared to 2019, therefore visiting these wonders may be a little busy for some people.
Unfortunately, due to Covid-19, many wonders of the world have not had as many visitors, and have therefore lost revenue over the past few years. This could be a combination of country lockdowns, attraction closures, as well as people not having the confidence to be out in crowds.
Table 3: The wonders that have lost the most revenue:
|
Rank |
Wonder |
Attraction revenue 2019 ($m) |
Attraction revenue 2020 ($m) |
Attraction revenue loss ($m) |
|
1 |
Beirut, Lebanon |
17,011 bn |
4,129 bn |
12,882 bn |
|
2 |
Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt |
16,088 bn |
3,283 bn |
12,805 bn |
|
3 |
Doha, Qatar |
12,450 bn |
3,362 bn |
9,089 bn |
|
4 |
Taj Mahal, India |
9,848 bn |
2,326 bn |
7,522 bn |
|
5 |
Jeju Island, South Korea |
20,948 bn |
15,278 bn |
5,669 bn |
|
6 |
Colosseum, Italy |
4,135 bn |
599 m |
3,537 bn |
|
7 |
Durban, South Africa |
3,835 bn |
1,102 bn |
2,732 bn |
|
8 |
Havana, Cuba |
3,155 bn |
680 m |
2,474 bn |
|
9 |
Vigan, Philippines |
3,169 bn |
631 m |
2,538 bn |
|
10 |
Ha Long Bay, Vietnam |
2,890 bn |
985 m |
1,905 bn |
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
