Dubai: The UAE’s two most iconic landmarks have made their way into Trip Advisor’s top 25 world attractions in 2016.
The travel planning and booking site TripAdvisor recently ranked Abu Dhabi’s Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque as the best landmark in the UAE and the second in the world, while the Burj Khalifa was gloablly ranked at 23.
The Travelers’ Choice awards were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews and ratings for landmarks worldwide, and were gathered over a 12-month period.
Machu Picchu came out on top as the most popular iconic landmark to visit worldwide, with the Taj Mahal and Big Ben ranking in at fifth and 19th place respectively.
"These Travelers’ Choice award-winning landmarks attract millions of visitors each year and represent some of the world’s most impressive examples of human ingenuity," said Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor.
"Travelers who want to discover, or rediscover, these iconic attractions can book tours for unique experiences including in some cases exclusive behind-the-scenes access."
TripAdvisor's 2016 Travelers' Choice Awards for World's Top Landmarks
1. Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu, Peru
2. Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
3. Angkor Wat Siem Reap, Cambodia
4. St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
5. Taj Mahal Agra, India
6. Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
7. Church of the Savior on Spilt Blood St. Petersburg, Russia
8. The Alhambra Granada, Spain
9. Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Washington DC, United States
10. Milan Cathedral Milan, Italy
11. Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, California, United States
12. Hagia Sophia Museum / Church (Ayasofya), Istanbul, Turkey
13. Grand-Place Brussels, Belgium
14. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
15. Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, France
16. Great Wall at Mutianyu, Beijing, China
17. Acropolis Athens, Greece
18. Corcovado - Cristo Redentor, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
19. Big Ben, London, United Kingdom
20. Chichen Itza, Chichen Itza, Mexico
21. Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Pho), Bangkok, Thailand
22. Burj Khalifa Dubai, United Arab Emirates
23. Australian War Memorial Canberra, Australia
24. Sydney Opera House Sydney, Australia
25. Fushimi Inari-taisha Shrine Kyoto, Japan
