Sabah to host Miss Tourism International

KOTA KINABALU: Beauties from 45 countries will descend on Sabah to take part in an international pageant that is expected to boost the state’s tourism industry.

State Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Christina Liew said Sabah would play host to the 26th Miss Tourism International Pageant 2023 World Final in November.

“Sabah will be in the limelight when the event takes place in our beautiful state, The Land Below the Wind,” Liew said at the signing ceremony of the memorandum of understanding for the appointment of EventLab Works & Supplies Sdn Bhd as the host organiser of the event.

She said Sabah Tourism Board (STB) and her ministry would extend their support to welcome the Miss Tourism International delegates.

The pageant will take place over 17 days, beginning with the arrival of delegates on Nov 10.

The final and crowning of Miss Tourism International will be held on Nov 25 at the Sabah International Convention Centre.

Liew thanked Miss Tourism International owner and president Tan Sri Danny Ooi for selecting Sabah as the venue.

Ooi said Sabah was selected to host the final because it has a lot to offer delegates.

He said among activities that the delegates would take part in is the International Friendship Garden where they would each plant a tree.

“The purpose of the event is to promote tourism, culture and friendship. There will be a lot of activities focusing on local culture.

“A lot of exposure would be given to Sabah,” he said.

Ooi said the delegates would be able to see for themselves what Sabah is all about, adding “word of mouth is the best form of advertising” for the state.

Present during signing ceremony were reigning Miss Tourism International 2022 Suphatra Kliangprom from Thailand and Miss Tourism Global 2022 Chrystal Huang from Singapore, as well as local beauty queens Phoebe Ong (Miss South-East Asia Tourism Ambassadress 2022) and Ellen Rachel (Miss Malaysia Tourism Metropolitan 2022).