Revealed: The Seven Urban Wonders of the World

Today, ahead of the company’s 100th anniversary, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s flagship brand, reveals the newly-identified Seven Urban Wonders of the World. A world-first for a travel index, the list was crowdsourced using influencers with a combined reach of more than 3.5 million. Featuring highly sought-after urban sites from the Louvre in Abu Dhabi to The Bund in Shanghai, the new list spotlights the dream destinations of today’s experience-led travellers. 

The shortlisted wonders were analysed and validated by Hilton’s intuitive travel tech partner LikeWhere, after crowdsourcing suggestions from travellers worldwide. Using the travel preferences of holidaymakers aged 18-35, the software was able to shortlist the locations that scored highest against criteria encompassing local cuisine, architecture, heritage and culture, diversity, activities available and Instagrammability. 

As identified by smart data, the Seven Urban Wonders of the World include:

• Louvre, Abu Dhabi – Since opening in 2017, the Louvre, Abu Dhabi has instantly become one of the best art galleries in the world, featuring impressive installations, including Animals, Between Real and Imaginary and Japanese Connections: The Birth of Moden Décor.
• Sydney Opera House, Sydney – The iconic Sydney Opera House scored high among travellers, not only for its cultural contribution to the city, but also its position as a very Instagrammable viewpoint, looking out to Sydney Harbour Bridge.
• Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo – With food and flea markets scoring high on travel preferences, this mega fish market fits the bill for modern travellers. With major changes due to take place in October 2018, including relocation to a new site nearby, this is a wonder set to evolve.
• Camden Market, London – Another one of the world’s most prominent food and flea markets, Camden Market has always had a rebellious and exciting persona, appealing to younger travellers throughout the decades.
• The Bund, Shanghai – As one of the city’s most historic features, this mile-long stretch of waterfront features 52 historical structures known locally as the ‘museum of buildings’.
• Temple Street Night Markets, Hong Kong – The markets are one of the city’s most vibrant meeting points, showcasing cultures, foods and craft goods; a winning combination among modern travellers surveyed.
• Albertina, Vienna – With history and art galleries continuing to be a major draw when on holiday, Albertina is one of the world’s finest examples. Set in a former Habsburg palace, but with modern, striking extensions, the building is also one of Vienna’s most photographed, with more than 70,000 posts on Instagram. 

“With more than 575 hotels in some of the most coveted destinations in the world, we wanted to empower today’s experience-driven travellers to identify modern-day travel Wonders – which, as you will see, are much different from the original Seven Wonders of the World,” said Vera Manoukian, senior vice president and global brand head, Hilton Hotels & Resorts. “This list is set to inspire both the experienced and novice travellers as they begin to dream about their next global adventure.”

Methodology

To determine the final Seven Urban Wonders of the World, Hilton Hotels & Resorts executed a three-stage process:

1. Conducted a survey of 2,000 18-35 year olds on their holiday preferences when visiting urban destinations.
2. Destinations were crowdsourced through 12 social media influencers from the UK, Germany and UAE, with a combined reach of over 3.5 million people
3. The full list of suggestions were gathered and then given to LikeWhere, a travel tech partner, which applied its access to thousands of data points to determine how well each scored against the key factors determined in stage one. From this analysis it was possible to narrow the suggestions down to the final seven highest scoring locations.

For nearly 100 years, Hilton Hotels & Resorts has set the benchmark for hospitality around the world, providing new product innovations and services to meet guests’ evolving needs. With more than 575 hotels across six continents, Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties are located in the world’s most sought-after destinations for guests who know that where they stay matters. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits. Begin your journey at www.hilton.com and learn more by visiting newsroom.hilton.com/hhr or following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company, with a portfolio of 14 world-class brands comprising more than 5,400 properties with nearly 880,000 rooms, in 106 countries and territories. Hilton is dedicated to fulfilling its mission to be the world’s most hospitable company by delivering exceptional experiences – every hotel, every guest, every time. The company’s portfolio includes Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Canopy by Hilton, Curio Collection by Hilton, DoubleTree by Hilton, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Tru by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton Honors. Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows members to choose exactly how many Points to combine with money, an exclusive member discount that can’t be found anywhere else, and free standard Wi-Fi. Visit newsroom.hilton.com