ZURICH: Four months to go in first finalist phase: It’s all still to play for! With four months left to the end of the first finalist phase in the global New7Wonders Cities voting campaign, the New7Wonders analytics department offers a rare snapshot of how some of the 28 participating cities are progressing. New7Wonders — as in all its previous campaigns — does not ever disclose the actual ranking position of any participant during the finalist phases, but some early indicators can be revealed:
• Recognised cities such as London, Barcelona, Athens, Havana and Prague are all currently performing well in high-level positions, but need to maintain their momentum, going forward.
• Cities that were strong in the previous phases, such as Beirut, Durban, Mumbai, Vigan and Perth, are now lagging behind in low level positions, and should be using the coming weeks to add dynamism and creative ideas to their voting campaigns.
• Some cities remain in steady mid-level positions, such as Seoul, Mendoza, La Paz and Quito, but should not be complacent as others may power past them.
Commenting on these data points, Eamonn Fitzgerald, Head of Communications for New7Wonders, observes: “It’s all left to play for in these four months up to July 7, when the Top 28 Finalists are reduced to 21 for the next phase in New7Wonders Cities, and our experience from the past is that many changes will happen. In the end, it’s the strength and creativity of each city campaign that will determine the next round of winners and losers.”