Miss Tourism Sri Lanka: taking Sri Lanka’s brand to the world

  From left back row: Litro Gas Director Sales & Marketing Chaminda Ediriwickrama, Ramani Fernando Salons Founder Ramani Fernando, People’s Bank Head of Marketing & Public Affairs Deepal Abeysekara, Sri Lanka Insurance Executive Director Kieth Bernard, Hilton Colombo General Manager Manesh Fernando, Miss Tourism Choreographer Lou Ching Wong, Miss Tourism Founder Rosita Wickremasinghe, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Events Director Gayathri Dassanayake, Mobitel General Manager Isuru Dissanayake, National Savings Bank Strategy & Marketing Consultant Chandula Abeywickrama, Mal-key Rent-a-Car Director Pramith Mallawaarachchi, and  The Cutting Station Salonist Johann Peries

By Shannine Daniel

Sri Lanka will be hosting the foremost Miss Tourism Sri Lanka International Pageant on 21 February in order to advance tourism in our island nation.

Twenty delegates from around the globe have arrived to take part in the competition from Australia, Belgium, China, Denmark, India, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, UK and USA alongside our own contestant.

The competition hopes to uplift the local beauty pageant industry and at the same time boost the image of Sri Lanka, and promote tourism, culture, peace and goodwill among numerous countries. 

Sri Lanka hopes to stage the Miss Tourism Sri Lanka-International Pageant as an annual celebration of the country, each year inviting more countries across the globe to participate, and to truly take Sri Lanka to the world. 

“We will work with determination and purpose to take this brand forward and ensure the success of this event, and we intend to expand over the years, putting Sri Lanka on the map on a global scale,” states Miss Tourism Founder Rosita Wickremesinghe. 

Since Sri Lanka is poised to cross the two million tourist mark this year, this is the perfect opportunity to show case the natural beauty, the culture and heritage of our country to the visiting contestants, some who are visiting Sri Lanka for the very first time.

Speaking further about the pageant, Producer and Choreographer Lou Ching Wong stated that the winner will be a Brand Ambassador for Sri Lanka, regardless of her nationality and during her one-year reign as ‘Miss Tourism Sri Lanka’ she will represent our country all across the globe, and bring more recognition to Sri Lanka thus advocating  Sri Lanka’s tourism. 

“We are bringing the world to Sri Lanka and taking Sri Lanka to the world. That’s our main purpose behind this,” he stated.

The sparkling crown studded with Sri Lankan stones that will grace her head, and is at present being designed and crafted by Fine Jewellery Company, is another channel which serves to portray the beauty of our country and bring more recognition to it.

Outlining the program of the two week competition, Ching Wong revealed that the contest will include a small tour around Sri Lanka, visiting tourist spots like Nuwara Eliya, Kandy and Anuradhapura and he is certain that this will bring in more awareness and interest towards Sri Lanka as the contestants will partake in many activities which will express the vibrant culture and heritage of our country. 

“Basically this tour will offer a taste of paradise, hospitality and everything that we can offer visiting tourists. We want them to have a memorable experience and we need them to see what Sri Lanka has to offer by way of hotels and so on,” remarked Ching Wong.     

In addition to the titleholder, the contest will also recognise and award eight mini pageants under the categories namely Miss Talent, Best Catwalk Model, Best in Swimwear, Miss Congeniality, Miss Photogenic, Miss Personality, Best National Costume and Best Evening Gown. The Miss Photogenic mini pageant has already taken place and the results are to be released on 21 February, which is when the finals will take place. Many of the remaining mini pageants will take place in the midst of the tour.  Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau Director of Events Gayathri Dassanayake revealed that currently numerous campaigns are going on around the world in order to promote this event and the winner of the pageant will be essential in marketing Sri Lankan tourism around the world. 

“We are confident that the contestants will contribute in their own way,” she added.

Pix by Bhanuka Kirinde