TravelPort launches website to win votes for Taj

New Delhi, Dec 27: Franchisee travel house TravelPort India has launched a new website to garner votes for Taj Mahal as one of new seven wonders of the world.

''The website www.votefortaj.com aims to raise awareness through news updates, blogs and contests related to the Taj Mahal. The monument is a source of income to millions in the travel and tourism industry,'' said Travel Port India Chief Executive Officer Javed Akkhtar.

Having made it to the shortlist of 21 sites, the Taj Mahal has to beat strong contenders like the Acropolis in Greece and the Great Wall of China as voting picks up pace. It is the only Indian landmark to have made it in to the short list.

''We have about seven months to get the Taj Mahal on the list of finalists. India is the second-most populated country in the world and with high mobile and Internet penetration, I am sure all of India will be rejoicing when the new seven wonders of the world will be named,'' Mr Akkhtar added.

Voting can be done online or by mobile text messaging, he added.

The final list of new seven wonders will be announced in July 2007 by New 7 Wonders Society, a Swiss group dedicated to the preservation of man-made heritage.

The non-profit organisation had enlisted a panel of seven architecture experts to whittle down the top 77 nominees to a shortlist of 21 sites. The new wonders have to be man-made, in an 'acceptable' state of preservation and be of artistic or architectural value.

The original seven wonders were selected by Philon of Byzantium in 200 BC and located around the Mediterranean basin. But with six of the seven having been destroyed, there have been several attempts to update the list.

Headquartered in Mumbai, TravelPort has 65 franchises across the country.

UNI