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China rolls out red carpet for second helping of Miss World
Sunny Sanya rolled out the red carpet for a second helping of Miss World Wednesday, as organisers strove to maintain global interest in the parade of beauty queens from more than 100 countries.
Sunny Sanya rolled out the red carpet for a second helping of Miss World Wednesday, as organisers strove to maintain global interest in the parade of beauty queens from more than 100 countries.
Organisers signed on again for China after last year's pageant passed without incident at this city on the palm-dotted resort island of Hainan -- in contrast to 2002 when it sparked sectarian violence in Nigeria.
The 107 Miss World hopefuls have been warmly greeted by an island whose tourism industry received a much needed boost from last year's event. The 2003 winner was Irishwoman Rosanna Davison, daughter of "Lady in Red" singer Chris de Burgh.
"The welcome extended to Miss World in China has been one of great celebration and happiness," said veteran organiser Julia Morley.
"The girls ... are overwhelmed by the reaction they have received and it has given them a real boost at a time of competition."
Despite competition from the US-based Miss Universe and the tongue-in-cheek Alternative Miss World pageants, Miss World remains the most popular beauty contest worldwide.
Last year it reached a worldwide television audience of 2.3 billion from 162 countries, putting the show near the ranks of the Olympics' opening ceremony and football's World Cup, organisers said.
"This year the audience will be even bigger," Morley predicted, conscious that China has more than a billion people with access to television.
To keep its edge, Miss World this year will let viewers worldwide decide the winner via telephone, SMS text and over the Internet, instead of having a panel of judges.
The celebrity panel will instead "offer opinions on each of the girls taking part" and present the final show, organisers said.
Celebrities taking part include Troy McClain, star of popular American reality TV show The Apprentice, Vivian Richards, the former West Indian cricketer, and Australian actress Kate Richie.
Other stars in town include singers Lionel Ritchie and Il Divo, who will be performing at the final competition on Saturday.
On the night, 15 finalists will be chosen from the 107 contestants. Four have already been named after winning preliminary competitions during the past weeks.
Miss America Nancy Randall, a heavy favourite with London-based bookmakers, won in Beach Beauty, while Amy Guy from Wales won in Sports.
Miss Mexico, Yesica Guadalupe Ramirez Meza, won the World's Top Model competition and Miss Antigua, Shermain Sunja Jeremy, won the Talent competition.
"I am so pleased to have won for the sake of everyone back home in Wales," said Guy.
"Beauty can take many forms and be judged in so many ways, the way you look, how you behave, how you perform. But true beauty can only be a combination of these things -- that's what makes a real Miss World," she said.
Chinese officials said the hosting of Miss World had worked wonders for the local economy and tourism revenues.
Li Boqing, a government official with China's Miss World organising committee, said the hosting of the event helped promote Sanya abroad as a tourism resort, with foreign visitors on the increase.
"It has an obvious impact on Sanya, especially in terms of its image," he said. "We are making a name through the organisation of Miss World."
He said the number of tourists in Sanya increased 30 percent in the first 10 months of this year from the same period last year, while revenues from tourism increased by 40 percent.
