Cruise ship Sun Princess visiting Milford Sound in 2008.
Photo supplied.
What do the Amazon River, Dead Sea, Grand Canyon and
Milford Sound have in common? They're all in the running to
become one of the "New7Wonders of Nature" due to be announced
next week.
Milford Sound was put forward by Destination Fiordland when
nominations opened over two years ago and gained a place
among the top 28 finalists put up for public vote before
Friday.
Destination Fiordland manager Lisa Sadler said it was great
to have Milford Sound as a finalist as it helped to raise its
tourism profile.
"If people are deliberating over where to go, this sort of
thing can always sway them in our direction."
Ms Sadler said she was not entirely sure how much of an
effect the announcement would have on visitor numbers as it
was too hard to calculate.
"Probably, in terms of influence, I think Lonely Planet's
announcement last week is more directly related to
travellers' decisions."
Queenstown Lakes and Fiordland were named a top 10
destination in Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2012.
Ms Sadler said the process culminating in the decision to be
announced on Friday, November 11, had been worthwhile in
terms of exposure and she hoped Milford Sound could go the
whole way and become a New Wonder of Nature.
"There is potential for exposure in the final outcome - it
would be quite big."
She said the announcement of the world's seven man-made
wonders earlier this year created global attention in the
tourism industry and the New7Wonders of Nature would have the
same effect.
Other nominated destinations had spent money advertising they
were finalists, but Destination Fiordland had not spent
anything trying to get votes.
Why Milford Sound had made the final cut was apparent to
anyone who had been there, she said.
"It is awe-inspiring."
The New7Wonders of Nature campaign follows the New Seven
Wonders of the World project, which was a bid to update the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with a modern list of
wonders and attracted more than 100 million votes worldwide.
The results were announced in 2007, with the Great Wall of
China, Rome's Colosseum and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India all
making the final cut.
To vote for the New7Wonders of Nature visit www.new7wonders.com.
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