The Search Is On: World's Next Seven Wonders Could Be Chosen by You

The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has launched a global campaign to identify the 7 Contemporary Wonders of the World, inviting people around the globe to nominate the landmarks and buildings created since 1801 that have had the greatest impact on tourism, local communities, and economic development.

Announced on July 7, 2026, the year-long initiative aims to recognize modern landmarks that have transformed destinations through architecture, culture, and investment, while highlighting their role in creating jobs, attracting visitors, and strengthening local economies.

Unlike the traditional Seven Wonders lists, the WTTC campaign focuses on sites built during the modern era. Examples highlighted by the organization include the Eiffel Tower, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, and the Grand Egyptian Museum, which it says have helped reshape the global identity of their destinations.

Eiffel Tour. Photo: Shutterstock

The campaign is designed to showcase how iconic attractions can serve as strategic tourism infrastructure by generating long-term economic and social benefits beyond their cultural significance.

Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain. Photo: Karol Kozlowski / Shutterstock.com

"The most influential tourism assets do far more than attract visitors," said Gloria Guevara, President and CEO of WTTC. "They create jobs, stimulate investment, support local businesses, strengthen communities and enhance the global profile of destinations."

The Grand Egyptian Museum. Photo: Tamer A Soliman / Shutterstock.com

The selection process will assess a series of landmarks based on several well-established criteria, such as the contribution they have brought to tourism, their impact on the economy, as well as the value they are bringing to local communities, the way they helped destinations grow, and their actual cultural and architectural significance.

In addition to globally recognized icons, the initiative aims to showcase emerging landmarks that are already making a meaningful impact and could shape the future of global tourism.

The campaign will unfold in four stages, with nominations already opened worldwide on July 7, 2026, followed by the announcement of the 70 nominees and the opening of public voting on January 7, 2027. On April 7, 2027, the WTTC will narrow the field down to 30 finalists, and, on July 7, 2027, the seven winners will be revealed.